Mass Illusion
by Lady Amiee
Summary: Have you ever wanted to live in a game? To become a God in another world? To lose yourself in a place so real, that you never want to leave? But ... What if you couldn't get out?
1. Welcome To Hell

Have you ever wanted to live _in _a game? To become a G_od _in another world? To lose yourself to a place so _real, _that you never want to leave?

_That's how all of this started. With that advertisement, that hook . . ..It all began the day I bought Mass Effect Three Online._

* * *

Opening my eyes, I blinked at the bright lights surrounding me. The bare room, it's blank, white walls made me shiver. Cold, clinical, and nothing like I'd pictured the first thing I'd see to be.

_Well that's . . . unexpected. _I guess I didn't know what to expect, but this seemed a little anticlimactic? I mean shouldn't there be someone . . . or something to greet me?

"Welcome to Mass Effect Three Online. I am MIA, Machine Intelligence Accelerated Interface. I will be your guide throughout your virtual experience. Please state your name."

I jumped, the voice so unexpected I nearly embarrassed myself. "Uh . . . Amiee Lee," I ventured. Looking around at the white paneled walls, I frowned. "Where are you?" I asked.

_God, I feel like a flid, talking to nothing but dust motes._

"To view the visual interface, please activate your omni-tool, and select visual in the settings menu."

"Uh . . . ." I stammered. "Omni-tool?" I asked the walls again, looking around for whatever an 'omni-tool' was. I bit my lip to prevent a giggle from escaping me; for some reason, the image of a strange hybrid screwdriver came into my head. _Mass Effect Sonic Screwdrivers . . .. So much win. _

"Located on your right wrist is your omni-device. This device will be one of the most important items within the game. It's function, is to aid you in your quest for completion. Each item you collect, mission you complete and achievement you unlock will be recorded within it, allowing you to follow your progress."

Lifting my wrist, I blinked, surprised to see a thin band wrapped around it. _How the hell did that get there? _Strange, opalescent blue, shimmering with an almost ethereal glow, it looked pretty cool in my opinion. Touching it, I started in shock as it solidified, and a menu appeared in front of me.

"So . . . um, settings?" I asked the air again, feeling even more stupid. I fumbled around with the holo interface, pressing randomly in the hope of picking the right one. _This thing and I won't be getting along. _

"The settings are located at the top of the screen."

Staring at the interface in front of me, I raised my left hand and attempted to touch the little gear wheel in the corner. My fingers penetrated the orange glowy stuff, making me frown, my tongue caught between my lips. I tried again. "How do I . . . oh . . . like that." I grinned as the little menu appeared. Selecting the visual AI option, I looked up, just in time to see the AI appear.

She stood, smiling as I stared. Taller than I am by a few inches, she had a slim, almost curvy figure, wrapped in a latex jumpsuit in a deep gray color. Her heart-shaped face, with glowing green eyes, stared back at me, her shimmery skin haloed by long blond hair. She looked familiar, but for some reason, I couldn't place her face. _Prolly from the box. _

"MIA?" I asked, stepping forward. "You're . . . . Wait, why aren't' you all glowy and see through?"

"Once activated, the visual setting allows me to become fully integrated into your mind. You will be able to interact with me and the other characters within the game. I will be with you throughout play, appearing in this form or as a drone, depending on circumstance," she said, tipping her head.

_Woah, don't do that! Jebus, humanish or what? Creepy. _

"Is there anything else I need to do?" I queried, shrugging off my shiver. I'd never played a virtual game before, so I had no idea what the hell I was doing. I don't even know why I'd bothered buying the thing to be honest. I mean, yeah, it was cool but still, I was way in over my head.

_Why didn't I read the damn manual?_

"Before entering the game, you must select your class, and visual appearance. Once done, you will be free to enter," MIA answered, once more indicating to my omni-tool.

Raising it, I noticed several new menus, all with different function names and sub-lists, "So . . . class list?" I enquired, looking up to see her nod. Stroking the interface, I read the list curiously.

**Soldier- **Powers- Adrenaline rush: Concussive shot: Frag grenade: Incendiary ammo: Disruptor ammo: Cryo ammo: Combat mastery: Fitness.

**Adept- **Powers- Warp: Throw: Pull: Singularity: Cluster grenade: Shockwave: Biotic mastery: Fitness.

**Infiltrator- **Powers- Tactical cloak: Disruptor ammo: Cryo ammo: Incinerate: Sticky grenade: Sabotage: Operational mastery: Fitness.

**Vanguard- **Powers- Incendiary ammo: Cryo ammo: Pull: Biotic charge: Shockwave: Nova: Assault mastery: Fitness.

**Sentinel- **Powers- Throw: Warp: Lift grenade: Tech armour: Overload: Cryo blast: Offensive mastery: Fitness.

**Engineer- **Powers- Incinerate: Overload: Cryo blast: Combat drone: Sabotage: Sentry turret: Tech mastery: Fitness.

"Soldier sounds . . . good? I think," I mused, scrolling down the list a second time. "Okay, I choose soldier."

_Jesus, I sounded like I was choosing a bloody pokemon or some shit._

"Soldier class selected," MIA confirmed. "Please use the decisions menu on your omni-device to create the backstory for your game."

Opening my device again, I clicked the decision menu and read the list.

Save / kill the Rachni Queen. Save / kill Wrex. Who dies on Virmire? Ashley / Kaiden. Save / let the council die. Udina / Anderson as councilor. Keep Maelon's data / destroy it. Save / destroy the Collector base.

_Okay . . .. Well, um. I have no idea what any of those actually mean, so I guess . . . uh . . . let's just be a goodie? Can I do that? I mean, it's not set, right? _

"Okay, let's do this. Let's save the Ratchni? No. Rachni Queen, 'cause I'm nice like that. Save Wrex, dunno who he is, but he's got a cool name. Um, Kaiden? Is he any good?," I asked, before shrugging.

"Meh, I'll take him. Oh! Save the council, they sound useful," I rattled off, not really listening to MIA, who repeated everything I said like a damn parrot.

"Anderson? Who the hell is he? I'll have him . . .. Save the data, I think . . .. And destroy the base thingy. I dunno, 'Collector base' doesn't sound like anythin' I wanna be playin with," I grumbled, clicking my choices.

"So what now?" I asked her, closing down the menu.

"Please select visual appearance."

"Wait! What the hells wrong with how I look?" I snapped, looking down at myself.

I mean yeah, I wasn't exactly a model but even so, I wouldn't wanna start changing stuff . . . well . . . it would be fun to just . . . look. Wouldn't it?

"Just because I don't look like . . . well, you," I muttered under my breath. I waved my hand in her direction. "There's no need to make a girl feel self-conscious."

_She's totally judging me right now, creepy ass thing._

Clicking the interface, I gasped as a huge mirror appeared in front of me on the wall.

"Uh, so . . . how does this work? Do I just . . . say what I want? Or . . . click something?" I asked uncertainly.

MIA wasn't exactly being helpful, considering she was supposed to be some god-like thingy. I ground my teeth as she took her sweet-ass time responding.

"Your thoughts will control the image you create. Think of shorter hair, and it will be reflected in the mirror. This image will be the one that is seen by the characters of the game and other players during pvp, but to you your appearance will remain unchanged," she explained, stepping aside and allowing me to approach the mirror.

"So . . . I'll still be me," I murmured, biting my lip. I'd always wanted to be shorter . . . _so why not? You may as well_. Frowning, I almost wished I had a sonic screwdriver, or some kind of magic word, you know? Like Harry Potter or something. _How frickin' cool would that be?_. Thinking about my height, I pictured myself shorter. I didn't feel anything, but the image in front of me changed, becoming a tiny version of myself.

"No! Not that damn short! I dunno, maybe . . . five foot five?" I asked, hoping the words made my brain picture it correctly. It seemed to work . . . I mean, I didn't really know if my actual body changed, but the reflection did, becoming a cute little mini me. Resisting the urge to do the pinky to the mouth thing, I grinned.

"Fuck yeah donkey!" I shouted, really starting to get excited by the possibilities. I could make myself look like anything I wanted. "Okay, make my hair longer," I said, sticking with the whole

'Make it so' thing.

As soon as I'd spoken, my hair grew from chin length to waist length in thick, black waves. It looked exactly as it had before I'd made the stupid decision to cut it all off on a whim. I missed the weight of it, and kind of regretted the fact that it wasn't real.

My eyes and face, I didn't I want to change but . . .. "Um, maybe a little off the hips?" I suggested, watching my rather curvy hips slim down into a more flattering line. "Oh, that is badass!"

Having now gotten the hang of the whole thing, I twitched and tweaked my image until I had a smoother looking me. I didn't really change much else, just removed a few freckles here and there and made my eyes a more vivid green, because you know, why not?

"Okay, I think I'm done," I said, a smile on my now slightly redder lips.

I'd experimented with several things, from clothing, to accessories, until I settled on something called Hahne-Kedar armour. I had no idea what it was meant to do really; I chose it because it looked good. I changed the color, making it black with red highlights. Once done, I turned back to MIA.

"So, what now?" I asked curiously.

"Now, you enter the world. You will begin your mission on the planet, Mars. You will be automatically set into the team of Liara T'Soni. Weapons will be provided upon arrival," she explained, shrinking down into a weird, glowing orb thing. It floated over, coming to hover beside me.

_Totally gonna call that thing droney._

"Welcome to Mass Effect Three Online, Amiee."

_Tutorial, here we come? _

Stepping through the door that opened in front of me, I left the room with the mirror, and entered hell on earth.

**Welcome, to my SI. I hope you enjoyed this little intro to what I hope will be a long and intense story. **

**Please, read and review, I love reading them and would love idea's suggestions and crit.**

**If y'all have missions you wanna see that we don't in the game, then put it in a review, 'n' I'll see what I can do. Amiee. xxxx**

**So, a few of you are wondering why I went with diving straight into ME3, Well, that's because that's exactly what I did.**

**I am making my character exactly like I am, dumb, confused and British. Words like Flid . . . totally have meaning in sunny old. It means idiot. So, there ya go. Y'all have fun and please R&R. xxx**


	2. Into Hell

Dust washed over me as I stepped through the door. Dust, dust and ... well, guess what? Even more dust.

_Guess they're big on dust in this game. _

Watching the door close behind me, blocking out the white room, I frowned. Hadn't MIA said someone would meet me? _Huh... _

"Get down! Now!" A voice instantly alerted me to danger, freezing me in place. Rough hands grabbed hold of me and threw me to the floor.

_What the shit? Where the feck did this guy come from? _

"I said, get down now!" barked the voice again. A boot pressed heavily on my back, and my assailant pushed down maliciously as he snarled, "Don't move!"

"MIA? What the hell? No tutorial? Jesus," I muttered to the practically invisible drone floating beside me. I could hardly see anything through the red sand and dust flying across my visor. I couldn't hear much either, just the shouting; shouting and... gunfire? Recognising the sound, I froze.

_What the fuck? Jesus, I've heard of 'Jumping right in,' but this is taking the piss. _

Lifting my head a few inches, I was just in time to see some poor soul lose his head. I think, if I hadn't been wearing my helmet, I would have thrown up all over my guards boots. That isn't exactly a normal introduction to a game, but even so, the graphics were amazing.

"MIA ..." I whispered, "Get me the hell out of this."

The drone once again, didn't answer my hushed order. _Stupid ass drone. Let me guess, I've got to do some ninja shit to get out of this? Shouldn't there be some sort of walk-trough? _

I was dragged to my knees, pulled up by the neck of my armour and forced into position beside the headless body. I tried to move, to pull away, but the barrel of a gun pressing into my visor stopped me.

_That's not... normal... _ I was about to plead for my life before a panicked shout from one of the other guards brought the soldiers head whipping around, and the gun dropped a few inches.

The world exploded in a haze of crackling blue and my attacker fell, twitching to the ground. Snapping my head to the side, I watched in awe as a tiny soldier in black and red armour charged towards me, slinging blue glowy stuff. Following closely behind her, two blue armoured men, one huge in stature and one smaller, both fired into the ranks of soldiers surrounding me.

"Run!" she screamed. She started glowing blue again, and lifted one of my attackers off his feet, throwing him aside with ease.

Scrambling to my feet, I ran towards her. I didn't care that she had guns too. I mean, she could be a baddie for all I knew, but still, she was better than the dudes wanting to execute me.

The shield thingy in my armour started to make noise, and I stumbled, almost falling flat on my face. _Yeah cause that's badass. Welcome to ME3 Amiee... Just fall over on the first mission, dickhead. Well done. Gold star. _

Righting myself, I met the women's ice gray eyes through her visor, "Help me!" I shouted, stumbling again as she passed me.

One of the blue-armored soldiers caught me, and a pistol was thrust into my hands. "Point and fire, Muñeca," he directed in a smooth, rich Hispanic accent. He grabbed my shoulders, spinning me around to face the guys shooting at us.

"You want me to... shoot someone?" I stammered, wanting nothing more than to drop the pistol and run away. Realising I could do just that, I shouted to the little drone, "MIA take me back. I wanna go home."

"Error," the drone responded. It's voice was exactly the same one I'd heard a million times on Teamspeak with my friends. Seriously, it was fuckin creepy.

"What do you mean error?" I asked, ducking behind a tank thingy. "How can you say error? Just... turn it off!" Peeking around to watch the three soldiers killing the last of the white armoured squad. "Quick, before they come back."

"Error," MIA said. She faded out of existence and leaving me stranded, on some god knows where planet, with hell knows who, holding a gun in my hand.

"MIA! Get your shiny ass back here, before I punt you across this damn moon," I growled. Peeking again, I cowered as the magic woman and her friends came over to me. _Crap. _

"You can come out now. They're all dead," the female said, coming to crouch down a few feet away. "I won't hurt you. I'm Commander Shepard, a Spectre."

"Am I supposed to know what that means? You glow like a frickin Christmas tree, that ain't normal," I stammered, all the while scrambling back until I was pressed against the giant tire behind me.

"I work for the Alliance," she explained. "I'm a commander, It's my job to protect people."

"Well congratulations, good for you," I snarked. "Where the hell am I? What happened to MIA?" I asked, trying to keep all three of them in sight. It'd just be my luck for one of them to be a damn creeper and come up behind me or something.

"You're on Mars. This is the prothean archives," she explained, keeping a wary distance. "Who are you? Are you one of the base guards?"

"No... I..." I broke off. _Do I tell her this is a game? Am I allowed to even do that? Crap. Play along Amiee, don't be a dumb shit. _"Uh, yeah. These dudes came and, uh, started shootin' stuff," I lied, waving my hand to the bodies scattered around.

"Wanna tell me why you're holding your gun the wrong way?" she asked, clearly not believing a word. _Feck, how the hell do I explain this. _

"Uh..." I stuttered, before an idea struck me. "First day. New off the block, you know how it is."

She shook her head, and offered her hand out to me, "Well, you're gonna have to learn fast. C'mon, follow us," she said. She quickly showing me how to hold the gun. "Don't hesitate. This isn't a game; you _will _die if you don't kill them first."

"Oh lady, if only you knew," I muttered under my breath. _Oh the irony..._

"What?" she asked, looking over her shoulder at me.

_Jesus, bat ears or what? _"Nothin', nothin'," I said, shaking my head and shrugging my shoulders.

"Don't worry, Muñeca, I've got your back," the huge soldier said cockily as we began to move through what looked to be some sort of car park/transport area.

"And you are?" I asked, wanting to at least be on first name terms with the guy who would, in essence be staring at my ass.

"James Vega," he said turning to look at me. "Don't worry, I remember what being fresh out of boot felt like, so stick close, and I'll keep an eye on you."

"Just keep your eyes on my back," I warned, "and no where else." I turned and caught him looking. The blatant perusal in his body language made me blush. _Jesus, you're no damn schoolgirl, get a frickin grip. Is this what you're gonna be like every time you see a guy in armour huh? _

"May have a little trouble with that, muñeca, but I'll try," he quipped. . "C'mon, let's move." I kicked him, and he chuckled, giving me a teasing grin. "Careful now, don't break those little toes of yours."

"When you two are done, you might wanna see this," Shepard called from in front of us. She stood in front of a huge door. I blinked at the sheer size of the thing; it was big enough to fit a bloody double decker or two at least. _Huh... guess they're overcompensating or somethin'. _

"It's a door," I said sarcastically, "Ain't you observant." _Jesus, I should probably be nice to the woman with a bigger gun than me huh? _

"Don't be a smart ass. It shouldn't be open," she snapped, leading us into the building cautiously.

"It's arse, not ass. Why shouldn't it be open?" I asked, seeing her glare. Clearly, she didn't get British sarcasm...

"This is the airlock... it's open... meaning, no air inside," she explained slowly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. The tone of her voice pissed me off to be honest, I may be small, but I wasn't a child.

"Well, why don't we close it?" I suggested, grinding my teeth. _Calm down Amiee, remember, it's just a game, she's probably supposed to piss you off... maybe you're supposed to shoot her or some shit? _

Shepard didn't answer, she just rolled her eyes, gesturing for us to follow. Biting my lip to stop myself from asking who died and made her god. I reluctantly tracked her steps and entered the base.

"You shouldn't provoke her, she's been known to shoot people for less," the so far silent soldier said in an undertone. I'd been so distracted by the other two, I'd forgotten he was even there. _Dumbass, what'd your sensei always tell you? 'Never lose sight of potential attackers.'_

"Well, after that little gem of wisdom, mind telling me your name?" I asked him, rolling my eyes as the huge door slammed shut behind us.

"Major Kaidan Alenko," he said shortly, taking his helmet off and moving to talk to Shepard. I didn't hear their conversation as the lift carried us up. I was too busy staring after him with my mouth hanging open. _Oh god... butt chin! He's got a fricking butt chin! Who the hell designed him? Whoever it was should be shot! If I'd been his face model, I'd shoot the designer myself. _

My thoughts were quickly choked off by the sound of metal being pounded, and Shepard hissing at us to take cover. Scrambling behind some conveniently placed crates, I listened carefully as the clanking came closer. It sounded like rats in a tunnel to me, but what the hell did I know in this crazy ass place. For all I knew, it could be their music or some shit.

Clutching my gun and moving a little closer to Vega, I watched the others all looking up at the venting system. _Not music, huh? _I heard gunfire, and it made me swallow in fear. The noise seemed to reach its crescendo as a large grate flew across the room, landing a few feet from me. A woman, I think, dressed all in white and blue leapt from the pipe and came running towards us.

She stopped suddenly, turning to face whoever was chasing her and immediately glowed blue. _Ah crap, another glowy one. _I tried to get a good look at her, but failed as she threw her blue stuff at the two white armored soldiers following her. The orb? Yeah, the orb thing swept them off their feet, making them hover in the air. I glanced over to Shepard, hoping she had some kind of idea what was going on, but she was too focused on the woman to notice me.

The glowing woman took her pistol from her hip. Raising it, she fired two shots, one into each soldier, causing them to drop to the floor with a thud. Before we could react, she took three slow steps forward and emptied her clip into their heads. _Bloody hell, she doesn't hang about does she? _

Vega growled low in his throat, standing up and raising his own gun, but Shepard shopped him with a hand. "Easy there Lieutenant. She's with us," she said calmly while motioning for us to stand.

The woman turned, finally giving me a look at her face, "What the hell? What's wrong with her head?" I asked, feeling a mix of shock, horror and well... amusement. _Butt chin and squid head? A perfect pair. _

"You've never seen an asari before Muñeca?" Vega asked. I shook my head slowly as they all turned to focus on me. "Dios mio!" he exclaimed, looking at me as if I was the one with tentacles sticking out all over my damn head.

"What? She's... normal?" I asked incredulously, waving my hand in the direction of the rather affronted looking woman... thing.

Shepard turned to face me. "You've got some explaining to do. And you'd better tell the truth this time or I'll-," she growled, stepping forward. She didn't have chance to finish her threat though, as door on the balcony opened, and soldiers swarmed out. They took cover behind the railing and immediately began firing on us.

_Well shit... again? What the fuck's wrong with these people?_

"But it'll have to wait. Now, you help us kill these guys, or I'll put a bullet into your head myself," Shepard said, already glowing.

_Oh fuck. Now I'm in shit. _I aimed the pistol at the guys on the balcony. _Please don't miss, please, please don't miss. _With a squeal, I closed my eyes and fired.


	3. Hell Hath No Fury

Opening one eye, I leant out of my cover, holding my gun away from my body as if it was going to turn around and bite me. The body of the man I'd just killed lay in front of me. I couldn't hold back the bile in my throat at the sight of the hole in his head. I bent over, emptying my stomach as the image of his skull filled my mind.

_It's a game, just a game, he wasn't real. Just pixels and graphics. CGI babe, CGI. Breathe... just breathe through it._

"You okay?" Vega asked, firing his weapon. "First kill, huh. S'always tough," he said sympathetically, seeing my weak nod. He didn't seem phased by the bullets plugging into the crates we were crouched behind, he just calmly fired his rifle, taking life after life with deadly accuracy.

Tearing my gaze from the body, I watched as Liara threw a blue orb thing. The space magic made a weird twomp noise, suspending a couple of the baddies in the air before she killed them. _Jesus, they're all at it._

_This is feck all like Farmville... I miss my cows._

"Clear!" Shepard called, lowering her smoking weapon. She stood up from behind her own cover and looked over at me. "Nice shot, right between the eyes," she congratulated. She seemed... almost proud.

"Thanks," I muttered, not meeting her eyes. Vega and Kaidan walked over to join us, followed closely by Liara, who had a smug smile on her blue face. I hated her already.

"Give me that pistol," Shepard said, holding out her hand. I handed it over gladly, only to blink in surprise as a frickin huge gun replaced it. "This'll suit you better I think. It's a M-97 Viper sniper rifle."

Staring down at the monstrosity in my hands, I jumped as Vega's huge hand reached over, pressing some hidden button to make it lengthen.

"Uh... how do I... do it?" I asked, blushing under his scrutiny. "I've never used a gu- uh, sniper before."

"Shepard, we don't have time to train her now. Cerberus are already on their way to the archives," Liara said impatiently. She stood, hands on her hips, glaring at me as if I was... well, crap really. I mean, yeah, I was but still, she didn't have to be so cold about it.

"James," Shepard sighed, "Take her back to the shuttle with you. Give her a few pointers on the way and keep her alive. I've got some questions for our so-called guard."

_Wait, what? No... I wanna get the hell out of here, not go running off with action man._

"C'mon, Muñeca, let's get outta here," Vega said cutting off my inner horror. He gently took my arm, leading me away. Looking back, I watched the team of three leave the bay with fierce expressions. I wouldn't wanna be whoever these Cerberus guys were right now.

"Can't you just let me go back to where you found me?" I asked him, hoping he'd see sense and realise taking a random stranger with him was dumb. _I mean, c'mon, who even did that? Just kidnap people?_

"Sorry, commander's orders," he said, shaking his head as we took a different route to the one we'd used before. "So, gonna tell me your name?"

"Amiee ... Amiee Lee," I replied. Looking around, I realized MIA still hadn't returned, dashing my hopes of rescue as he led me through another door.

"Pretty name." He smiled and checked left and right at a T junction we'd reached. Thinking I should probably look too, I did as he did, trying to act like I had a clue what I was doing. "You've never done this before, have you?" he asked quietly, while motioning for me to follow him.

"Is it that obvious?" I asked, blushing at his arched brow. He grinned wickedly, holding his rifle with casual ease. He seemed to almost be hinting, so I copied his pose and of course, promptly felt foolish when I failed miserably.

"Yeah, I'd say it was pretty obvious. Just relax, let it sit in your arms. If you hold it too tight, you're not going to be able to absorb the recoil. It's like a woman, you gotta love it right," he coached, stopping to adjust my arms and hands. Once satisfied with that, he spent a few seconds showing me how to shift from ready position to firing position. Once I'd kind of got the hang of pressing the stock against my shoulder, he nodded again, "There, you got it."

Feeling a little more confident now, I smiled, "So... um, where's the shuttle?" I asked, as we walked through a large room, full of crates and random detritus. The air was oddly cold, making me shiver as it bathed my face, "Creepy or what?" I asked, looking around carefully. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was... off.

"Get behind me," he ordered, his voice taking on a note of steel that brooked no argument from me. Standing behind him, I was comforted by the fact I had him with me; he was like a tank, I don't think there was much that could take him down.

"What is it?" I whispered, peeking around him. I couldn't see much in the gloom, but my question was answered for him as several of the white and yellow armoured guys from before emerged from behind several large crates. _Ambush... Aww... crap._

"Don't hesitate, just keep firing. If I go down, run!" Vega barked, charging forward and unloading several rounds into the first solder. Swallowing down my revulsion, convincing myself that they were just pixels. Taking a breath, I slipped my finger into the trigger loop, and moved into some cover. Once protected from the flying bullets, I looked down the scope, firing at one of the larger guys. The impact of the stock into my shoulder knocked the wind out of me, sending me back a little. _Mother-_

Wincing as my shoulder protested this new abuse, I bit my lip and raised the viper again. Watching Vega out of the corner of my eye, I tried not to be too distracted by how... well, graceful he was while fighting. It was like a grim ballet of death, bodies falling left and right as he fired with an accuracy I wouldn't have thought possible considering how fast he was moving.

A huge bear of a man suddenly rushed him, making Vega leap back and try to bring his rifle up. The soldier backhanded him, raising his shotgun and aiming at Vega's head as he lay, stunned, on the floor. I didn't even think. I didn't have time. I just lifted the Viper, fired three rapid shots, and tried to ignore the pain in my shoulder as it slammed into me. The bear guy fell, his face torn apart by my rounds, and my stomach revolted again.

"Oh god. Oh god. Oh my god! Vega, get the hell up!" I shouted, running over to him. His lip was bloody and his eyes a little unfocused, but I didn't think he'd suffered too much. He took the hand I offered, using some of my rather nonexistent strength, before pulling me down behind a huge crate.

"You were worried about me Muñeca? I'm touched," he smirked cockily. He reloaded his rifle, keeping his head down as rounds pounded our cover, "You need to reload, Amiee. Here, I'll show you," he said, quickly showing me how to stick one of the gray tuby things into the slot. Nodding to show I'd gotten the gist of it, I accepted a couple extra and slipped them into a pouch on my belt.

"How're we gonna get out of here?" I shouted. I was shaking, my shoulder ached, and my head throbbed from the noise. Vega seemed totally unphased.

"We're gonna use grenades, Muñeca," he growled, pulling out several objects I didn't get chance to see before he threw them. I guessed, judging by the screaming and explosions, they were the grenades, but there was no way I would be looking around to check.

"Which way out?" I shouted as he took my hand and pulled me to my feet, dragging me through crates and weaving around bodies. Some of the more hardy Cerberus soldiers tried firing on us, but I think they were more worried about the fact fire was racing towards them.

"I'm not sure there is one, we'll have to make our own!" he shouted, letting go of my hand and throwing a grenade into a wall. I was about to ask what the hell he was thinking, when the thing exploded, sending rubble and smoldering bits of wood showering over us. We were thrown back, hitting the wall opposite with a loud crash of armour.

"Warning next time," I growled, staggering to my feet and shaking my head to clear the white noise.

_Jesus, it's like my TV just glitched._

"Sorry Muñeca, but planning ain't somethin' I do," he coughed, pulling me with him again. _What the hell am I? A frickin' pull along truck?_

"Well, next time you blow up a goddamn wall, let me at least get out of the way," I snapped, tugging my hand from his and cupping my rifle they way he'd shown me. Rolling my shoulder, trying to ease the tightening muscle, I lengthened my stride to keep up with him. "Will you slow the hell down, I've only got little legs!" I shouted, as he forged ahead.

"I'd offer to carry you, babe, but I wouldn't be able to save your pretty ass," he shouted back, not looking at me as he swept the parameter with his flashlight.

_Oh hell no did you just say that, fucker._

"Who was it saving you, Action Man? Oh that's right, little ole me," I snarked, imitating him. "You're such a butt," I growled, when he offered me nothing more than a grunt.

_Typical dude, never admitting a woman saved their asses._

"C'mon. The shuttle's out there. You have your helmet?" he asked, pointing to another door; this one leading outside.

"Um, no..." I muttered, embarrassed by the fact I'd done something as noob-like as lose my helmet. "Do I need one?"

"No breathable air," he sighed, taking something from another pouch in his armour. Hes like a magic hat, pulling random crap from his butt. "Here, it's an emergency breather, slip it over your mouth," he explained, handing me a clear face mask thing.

"How does it work?" I asked, my voice distorted by the mask. He rolled his eyes, muttering something about being a baby sitter and earning another kick. He took the tube connected to my mouthpiece, and did something I couldn't see. Cool, recycled air hit my mouth and I gasped, "The hell?"

"I did say it was a breather. Hint's in the name, Chica," he said, a little too mockingly for my taste but, like the mature adult I am, I only kicked him once more before leading the way out of the door.

_Okay... ouch. Sand, plus bare skin, equals pain. Anyone for sand facials? Come on over to Mars, we got's the best sand, it'll leave your skin as fresh as a daisy... a mile down the goddamn planet._

"James! Normandy! Anybody!" screamed a voice even I could hear over Vega's comm unit.

_Action man and Barbie to the rescue! Yep, this is gonna suck. _


	4. Hell Fire

"Commander? Shepard? Do you read?" Vega shouted, his fingers pressed to his comm to hear over the wind. "Commander, come in!" The violence of the storm ripped away his words almost as fast as he could say them.

I had no idea what was going on, but judging by tight expression on his tanned face behind his mask, it was bad. "What's wrong?" I asked, stepping closer so he could hear me.

"Commander's in trouble," he growled, yanking me towards the shuttle. "Gotta use a locator to find her."

One look at his ferocious glower convinced me follow without protesting my ability to walk without help.

Following along behind him, I blinked rapidly, wishing I'd kept my full head helmet. Sand blasted me as the storm blew in, raging faster than it had before.

"Is that why we can't reach them?" I asked, shouting over the noise of the grit hitting the metal walls of the building.

"Magnetic storm. No comms, no guidance systems. Shit," he cursed, as we stopped in front of a car with no wheels.

"Uh... how's that going to drive?" I asked, bending to look underneath.

"It's a shuttle, muñeca, it doesn't need wheels. It flies," Vega said, looking at me with a curious expression while the door of the shuttle opened. He didn't give me chance to question further, just scooped me up and deposited me—none too gently—into the cockpit.

"Hold on tight," he murmured, climbing into the seat beside me. I didn't dare touch anything, knowing my luck with technology, I'd hit a self destruct button. _Do they even have those? _

"So, explain something to me, Amiee. You claim to be a guard, but you've never fired a gun. You wear armour... good armour, but you left your helmet. And... you've never seen a shuttle or an asari before," he said softly, almost musing to himself. "Something ain't right about you, but... I guess that's not for me to figure out, huh. Once we get the commander, she can deal with this." His hands moved over the holo face, pushing buttons and twisting dials.

"Where is she?" I asked, tilting my head to the side in an effort to understand the multiple displays. He pointed to a screen, showing me a small red dot. It bleeped, moving swiftly through the ghosty overlay of the buildings.

"Tell me when they get outside, and we'll pick em up," Vega said, his hands steady as he guided the shuttle up. It shuddered, fighting the storm, before stabilizing and shooting us towards the open area of the base. I kept a close eye on the little blip, noting the route it took and guiding him as best I could.

We were close to her position, when a streak of gray ran into the open, firing incendiary attacks behind it. "Down there," I shouted, pointing, even though I knew he'd already seen it.

"I see it," he growled. Shepard sprinted into view after the gray figure. She moved like a gazelle, something that surprised me, considering how much armour the woman wore. She was gaining on her target, but so was a second shuttle that had come speeding past us.

"I'm gonna swoop down. See if you can help Shepard," he ordered, opening the side door, causing air to blast into the shuttle.

"Swooping is... bad," I pointed out. I knew I was being sarcastic, but I couldn't help it. It's like my... coping mechanism.

Doing as I was told, I moved over to the door and clipped myself into a safety harness. "You know I'm no good at this," I grumbled. I had no idea how the hell I was to hit a moving target, from a moving shuttle, without hitting a moving ally. I mean, Jesus, everyone was all over the frickin place and he wanted me to hit a tiny target from high up? _Yeah, cause that's clever, give a noob a gun and ask her to shoot something, retard. _

Lifting the rifle, I tried to locate the figure. "Keep it steady!" I shouted over the wind. My lip trembled, but my hands remained steady as I locked on to the target. I started to squeeze the trigger, when I saw the doors of the other shuttle open and soldiers begin to fire on Shepard. Without thinking, I returned fire, several rounds spinning through the space between our shuttles and sending bodies dropping to the ground.

Another shuttle appeared, swooping down to pick up the woman. _See, told ya. Swooping is totally bad. Nothin' good ever comes out of swooping. _

"I got this!" Vega shouted, changing direction... right onto a collision course with the other shuttle.

"What the hell are you doing?" I screamed, bracing myself. Vega didn't respond. His face stern as he rammed us into the other vehicle. We crashed into the walkway, barely missing Shepard. I gasped in fear as my clip broke and I was thrown from the craft, landing with a bone-jarring crack on the steel floor.

The world wavered as my head exploded with agony and my hip sent fire through my body. I begged... shamelessly begged in my mind to pass out, to shut off the pain. My wish was granted as a cotton wool-like embrace took me off, numbing me into nothing.

* * *

"She's coming around."

"Bout time. Was starting to get worried," rumbled a voice I recognised.

_Action man? Why's he in my bedroom? _

I must have given some indication of my confusion, because a warm hand covered mine. "Stay still, muñeca. Let the doc finish looking at you."

"Gowaystupidface," I mumbled, pushing the hand away. I didn't wanna get up yet, I was still dreaming about that crazy ass game. _Stupid thing, I'm taking it back to the shop. _

I heard a sigh, before the a sharp finger prodded me in the arm. "Open your eyes, Amiee," he said, the sound of his voice closer than before.

Opening one eye, I peeked at him, and groaned as pain seared through my head. Lightning bolts, ripped through my brain, stabbing the pain receptors, as if to tell me that I was the dumb shit that decided to join the game, and so I must suffer for my stupidity.

"I don't want to. Go away," I said, pouting. Throwing my arm across my eyes and shutting out the light, I sighed. The pain eased for a second, but it seemed Vega wasn't going to allow me to rest. He grumbled under his breath and ripped the covers from my aching body.

"What the hell is your problem?" I screeched, scrambling to capture the elusive warmth of the coverings, only to have them held above my head by the giant soldier. "Give it back!"

"You need to get up. Shepard's waiting for you in the briefing room. You've got questions to answer," he retorted, moving away. He shuffled around somewhere to the left of me, before launching a bundle of fabric in my direction. "Get dressed."

_Oh, fricking great. Not only do I have to go and try and explain why the hell I was on Mars, but action man over there has seen me naked. Shit. This is fucked up. Where the hell's Mia? I need to get out of this stupid ass game. I need to go home. _

The image of my son's face came to mind as I threw on the clothing handed to me: A fitted pair of black pants, and a blue and white tunic. I realised then, that I _could_go home. _The omni-tool_... _God, I'm such a derp. _Raising my wrist, I resisted the urge to facepalm. Why hadn't I thought of this earlier?

To my horror, my omni-tool was missing. Running my hands up and down my forearms and wrist, I panted. "Where's my omni-tool?"

"Broken. Must've come off in the crash," he grunted, turning back to me now I was dressed. "How're you feelin?" he asked, a little more compassion in his voice now he could see how upset I was.

_Shit. Shit. Shit. How the hell do I get back now? Kye's gonna be home in a couple of days... oh god... what if... no. Don't think like that Amiee, you will get home, you just need another omni-tool, jerry rig it or something and get Mia back... she can get me home... I hope. _

"I need an omni-tool. I need to get..." I started, only to realise my mistake. I'd never been good at lying, always preferring to be honest. _Yeah, because blushing every time you lie isn't a huge giveaway. _"Uh..."

"You need to get where?" he asked, crossing his arms and raising a brow. His dark eyes met mine, and I knew then he wouldn't give up so easily.

Thinking fast, I shook my head, "I can't... remember."

_If I can convince them I can't remember anything before mars... I need a new omni-tool. Maybe they'll give me one and drop me off somewhere. _

"You can't remember?"

"I dunno... It's all... blank," I said, hoping he would believe me. Threatening my body with all kinds of torture if is so much as twinged in a blush, I met his eyes calmly.

"You did hit your head... don't worry, it'll come back," he soothed, pity in his tone. "C'mon, let's go see Shepard."

Following him, I swallowed, pushing down the bile trying to escape, knowing I'd need to play my part well otherwise, she'd know I was lying. My fists clenched, nails cutting crescent moons into my palms. I glanced around, stopping when I saw familiar face.

"What happened to him?" I asked Vega. Kaidan, his face mess of bloody cuts and livid bruises lay unconscious on a bed. His face the worst, covered in bright purple and yellow blemishes that coated his skin, before continuing down his neck and disappearing under the sheet. _He's in a worse state than I am... how's he even alive?_

"That gray thing we saw. The one Shep was chasing... yeah, turns out to be some kinda mech. It got hold of him before we could stop it, messed him up pretty bad," he explained, guilt written on his face. _He blames himself... _

"He'll be okay though, right?" I asked. "I mean, he's not gonna... die?" I swallowed, scared suddenly. I don't know why, but I knew if something happened to Kaidan, Vega would be a mess and I didn't want that. He'd protected me, saved my life, maybe I could help him. "It wasn't your fault James."

He looked at me, sorrow and anger in his eyes. "What would you know about it? You were passed out," he growled, stalking towards me. He loomed over me for a second, before his face softened. "And that was my fault too muñeca, I shouldn't have..."

I interrupted him, cutting off his words with my own. "No. You shouldn't have, but... If you didn't, then more people would've gotten hurt."

"Thanks," he whispered, a small smile on his lips. "C'mon, let him sleep."

Following the surprisingly complex soldier from the medbay, I couldn't help but smile. Action man had a soft side. Thinking about the clusterfuck of a mission, my smile fell and suddenly, I felt like I was walking to the gallows.

_How do I explain this crap. Can I explain it? Or do I stick with the amnesia lie and hope I can find a way home? I'm gonna have to wing the hell out of this. _


	5. The Storm Of Hell

Entering what I assumed was the briefing room, I found myself wanting to cower behind Vega's bulk, just to escape the eyes that focused on me like lasers. Shepard and Liara stood, hands behind their backs in similar poses, watching me.

"How are you feeling?" Shepard asked, surprising me with the question. She smiled faintly and it transformed her face, turning her from a cold, uncompromising commander, into a softer, more feminine version of herself.

"Uh... fine, thanks. A little sore, and I can't really remember anything, but other than that I'm good," I said, shrugging in what I hoped was a nonchalant manner. _Play it cool... don't let her get to you. God knows what voodoo she can do. _

"Good. Now, I want you to tell me what exactly happened on Mars," she said, crossing her arms and looking into my eyes.

"I don't remember. I just... I remember running towards you... I... sorry," I mumbled, hoping to look contrite. "I guess I hit my head."

"Look, I can't just keep you here. I'm on a mission, and you're a complication I don't need. We're leaving the Sol system for the Citadel," she explained, "Do you have any family I can contact? When I searched the data banks, I couldn't find anything on you except your name, date of birth and hometown. Manchester, right? England?"

"I don't know..." I said, affecting a scared look. "Why can't I remember my home?" _The A.I must have set the records up or something. I typed in Manchester on my profile... Shit. _

"That's okay, it'll come back in time. In the meantime, I can find someone to look after you on the citadel," she said, a soft note to her tone that once again surprised me.

"Why are you... being nice to me?" I asked, trying to figure out if this was some sort of trick.

She looked a little ashamed for a second, before the emotion cleared from her face. "Vega said you saved his life. You also saved mine, Liara's and Kaidan's."

"I didn't."

"You did. You killed a soldier about to kill James, took out the Cerberus troops that would have pinned me down, and helped him get the mech. I'm told you're a good shot too," she said, smiling. "If it wasn't for the fact I don't have time to train a rookie, I'd keep you on board. You manned up when you had to."

"Lola... I could train her. Least I could do, seein as she saved my life," Vega offered. He blushed as I turned my stunned gaze on him. "It won't be easy workm Muñeca. You'll have to push yourself hard if you wanna join the commander's team."

"If you want her, James, she's your responsibility. I'll be holding it on your head if someone dies because she's not ready," Shepard warned him. She held his gaze for a long moment, seeming to reach into his soul, searching him. "Fine, I can see you're not going to let me leave her. Work fast Vega, I need her ready. If she's as good as you say she is, she'll be useful," she said, nodding to Liara, who followed her from the room, leaving me a little stunned.

"You told them I was good?" I asked. "Why?"

"Because you didn't panic. You're a good shot, with a little work, I can see you being an asset," he said, turning to face me. His dark eyes hardened, "I wanna take Earth back and we need all the help we can get."

"Thank you," I whispered. I could see the pain in his face when he spoke of his home, and I think, if I could tell anyone about my situation, it'd be him... just not yet. "So... uh, when do we start?"

"Right now, Muñeca, hope you're ready to sweat."

* * *

"Faster!"

"If you say that again, I'm going to punch you," I snarled, dodging a left hook. In typical dickhead fashion, I tripped, nearly falling on my ass. _Clever girl... that's right, fuck up in front of the hot guy. _

"You've been saying that for the past hour, Muñeca, you've not landed a hit yet. Now faster!" Vega shouted again. He lunged towards me, his hands outstretched.

I recognised his attack- having fallen victim to it several times- and leapt backwards. "I hate you!" I screeched, when he continued to come at me. "You're such a buttface, I hate you so much right now."

"No you don't. Now stop trying to hit me and hit me," he growled.

I stopped dead, the reference to my time stunning me. _Kye... _The Matrix was one of his favorite films, and the comment from Vega hammered home the pain of not being able to see my son. I'd been trying not to think about it, focusing on getting accepted on the team so I had access to computers and things... but the quote hurt... so much and tears filled my eyes. _Kye... oh baby, I miss you. _

I knew my son would be okay, he was with his dad, but the... I can't even describe it. It was as if a huge part of me had been torn away, leaving a ragged bleeding hole. I knew I had to move, to gain trust so I could get Mia back... but I just... ached.

"Muñeca?" Vega rumbled, looking at me with concern in his dark eyes. He approached me cautiously, as if afraid of scaring me. "You okay? Cause you've gone whiter than a ghost and you're all tremblin' 'n stuff. What's wrong?"

The tenderness in his tone broke my silence. Wiping my sweat covered brow, I sat down in a heap. "I have- had a son. Kye... he's... gone," I explained, not wanting to lie but having no other choice. I needed an omni-tool and the only way to get one, was to play along for a while.

"Gone?" he asked, squatting down, his hands loose between his legs.

"Yeah... just gone. I don't... I don't wanna talk about it," I muttered, focusing on his long, olive skinned hands. "Can we just... carry on?" I asked, hoping the physical work out would take my mind off it. At least if my body hurt, I could stop thinking about the ache in my heart.

"Sure... if that's what you want," he said. He held out his hand to help me up, closing the lone callused fingers over mine gently and hauling me to my feet. "Your footwork's is good, but you're not aggressive enough. You need to attack more."

"I've never hit anyone in my life... well, my brothers but they don't count," I grumbled. Thinking about my brothers, I grinned. Without giving away my plan, I walked past him, pretending to be heading back to the mats. He followed, exactly as I hoped, so I dropped down, spinning on one leg and sweeping out both of his. "Like that?"

He started at me in shock, before a grin spread across his face. "Now that's more like it. Don't get cocky now Muñeca," he warned, flicking out his hand and snatching at my ankle, tugging me off balance.

"Fu-" I screeched as I fell backwards, landing on my back with a whoosh of air. Blinking, disorientated by the sudden switch between standing to prone, I lay still, waiting for the world to stop spinning.

He didn't give me time to recover however, he'd moved, rolling on top of me and pinning my legs between his and both of my hands on one of his much larger ones. "Gotcha."

"Bullshit," I snarled, bucking my hips and slamming my forehead into his. It hurt... making stars appear behind my eyes as he flinched back, letting go of my hands to cup his nose. He didn't let me go though, once more trying to catch my hands. _Why didn't it work like it does in the stupid movies?_

Throwing my fist in a rather flailing, uncoordinated attack, I hit him in the side of the head, groaning in pain as my knuckle hit the bone and a strange pop reached my ears. "Fuck! Ow! Fuck! Get off me dumbshit. I think I broke my goddamn hand!" I yelled, thrashing now as tears stung my eyes.

He moved again, rolling on one fluid motion until he knelt beside me. Pulling my hand from where I'd wedged it between my breasts, he tutted. "You had your thumb inside your fist," he said, his voice soft. "It's not broken, just dislocated. Hold... still."

I hate to admit it, but I screamed. I screamed and cried like a kid as another pop reached my ears and searing heat exploded in my hand. He did something I couldn't see, manipulating my hand before letting me wedge it against my body again.

"I hate you! Oh my god! What the fuck did you do to me?" I groaned, as the pain spread up my arm.

He looked a little hurt, before pushing the damp hair from my face. "I popped it back in. Don't worry, once the circulation gets moving again, you'll be fine." He stood up and looked down at me frowning. "You need a sling," He told me, gripping the hem of his tank and removing it in one clean tug.

His face appeared a second later, but I wasn't looking at that... I was too distracted by the magnificence of his chest. The pain in my hand was forgotten as I stared, open mouthed. He was built... I mean... properly built. Muscle earned by hard work, not fake, or gained by using steroids... Vega was all natural. Olive skin, washboard abs, and arms that made my brain wanna go all damsel-in-distress just so he could scoop me up and carry me off to bed.

_Good god... How do women think when he... C'mon brain, work for me now... he's looking at you damn it. Just... say something! And not something stupid either. _

"I... Uh... Ineedyourthi- sling... uh..."

_Well done brain, gold star. Dickhead. _

"If you're trying to make me blush, you'll have to do better than that," he said, chuckling softly. Wrapping my arm in a makeshift sling, he smiled. "C'mon Amiee. You should sleep, I'll show you the crew quarters."

Nodding, trying not to embarrass either of us any more than we already were. I scrambled to my feet, avoiding his gaze. "Sorry, sorry," I mumbled again, hoping he understood my rushed words.

"Don't worry about it, Muñeca, I seem to have that effect on everyone," he rumbled, a cocky swagger in his steps.

Trying not to get lost by staring at his back- which was just as good as the front- and his ass, I followed, a little dazed. The journey to the crew deck consisted of one, rather long and awkward elevator ride, and a short walk to the actual rooms. Once there, we stood, both seeming unsure what to say.

"Thank you... for... uh... the sling. I'll get the shirt back to you later," I muttered, my face flushing.

"Sure thing, no rush. Get some sleep, I'll come get you in the morning," he replied, walking away.

"Goodnight, James."

"G'night, Muñeca," he said. He waved his hand casually, before disappearing from sight.

Letting go of the deep sigh I'd been holding, and entered the room. Thankfully, it was empty, meaning I could fall asleep without some buttface snoring or some shit. "Mia?" I whispered, hoping that now I was alone, the AI would make it's presence known. After five long minutes of waiting, I gave up, heading over to the unoccupied bed at the back of the room.

"I want to go home, Mia," I said softly. "Just come... make a door or something."

Again, the only sound I could hear was my own heartbeat. Lying down, I tucked my face into Vega's shirt, comforted by the scent of him. It was... like home. Warm, clean and male. I couldn't hold back the tears that leaked from my eyes. I just lay there, silently sobbing and gasping for breath. My mind brought random memories up, slamming the mental images behind my eyes. My son... curled up beside me in bed after he'd had a bad dream.

"Kye..." I murmured, my voice breaking a little. I could almost see him, feel his warmth curled up into my side. With his eyes so like mine, his chubby, smooth face and his cheeky smile, he really was a heartbreaker. No one could say no to him, especially not me. I thought about the routines, the bed time one being my favorite: I'd lay him down, pulling his covers over his little body and sit beside him to read Harry Potter or Eragon. He'd drift off, his little eyes closing as snores escape him, and I'd kiss his head, tell him I love him and switch off the light.

I always paused... at the door, just looking at his sleeping form, feeling like the luckiest woman in the world. My son was my miracle, the reason I lived... and now... he would be the reason I survive this game. I would get home to my boy, even if it meant fighting my way through every single thing the stupid AI threw at me.

With his face in my mind, and the soft fabric of Vega's shirt against my cheek, I fell asleep, dreaming of waking up.


	6. Hell's Heart

Muttering woke me from the restless sleep I'd finally fallen into, and I growled in frustration.

_Consideration is a thing, people! Shut the fuck up already! _

When the muttering didn't stop, I opened my eyes and let out another growl. Kicking my legs out of the covers, I stomped my way over to the source of the noise, absently noting it was still dark. I blinked, trying to clear the sleep from my eyes, and peered into the gloom of the bunk. Groans began emanating from it and I lost my bad mood instantly, crooning softly as I approached. I guess it was an automatic reaction to the sound, having grown used to dealing with Kye after a nightmare.

"Hey... you okay?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper. I didn't want to risk startling the person, remembering how it would always make my son's dreams worse. Moving forward, my hand outstretched, I gently pulled to covers back, only to freeze.

Vega lay on his back, his face a mask of agony as he bucked on the bed. His mouth opened in a soundless yell and his eyes snapped open. His hand lashed out, grabbing my throat and squeezing, choking me as he growled. Spots danced in front of my eyes, the image of his face wavering as my lids fluttered and my body jerked.

"Vega..." I rasped, trying to force the words past his grip. I tried to fight, to wake him up, but his eyes just stared, blankly, seeing nothing. "James."

The use of his first name seemed to work, because he focused, waking up, and his hand let go, dropping me to the floor. "Amiee?" he asked, his voice husky with sleep and fear.

I looked up from my slump on the ground, my hand raising to touch the skin of my neck and flinching. _Shit ... that's gonna bruise. _

"Muñeca... I... dios mio," he exclaimed, scrambling from the bed and kneeling beside me. He gently pulled my hands from my throat, his eyes darkening with guilt as he saw the marks I knew had already formed. "Forgive me."

His fingers ran over the skin, soothing and warm, and I shook my head.

"It's okay. I'm not hurt," I said, reassuring him. Once he calmed a little, I cupped his hand and tilted my head to the side. "Wanna talk about it?"

"I... I was dreaming. It's been awhile since I've had one that bad," he murmured, tangling his fingers into mine, seeming to seek comfort from the contact. He let out a ragged sigh.

Sitting up and facing him as he sat leaning his back against the bed, I kept our hands entwined as he met my eyes, a haunted look spreading across his face. I knew the importance of letting things out; bottling up pain could do bad things to the head.

"I was on Fell Prime when the Collectors hit. My CO was Captain Toni... a hardass son of a bitch, kinda reminds me of Shepard... anyway, he died, with most of my squad. I had to choose... the colony, or intel on the Collectors. Intel we could've used to destroy them," he said, turning his head away.

"Who did you chose?" I asked, my voice soft.

He cursed under his breath. "I chose the intel."

"I'm sorry..." I said, squeezing his fingers. I didn't know what the Collectors were exactly, but they sounded bad if they could take out a colony of people. I felt guilty, knowing that the choices I'd made at the start could have affected what had happened to him. _What if I'd chosen differently? Would it have still happened? Would he still... be here? _The thought of him gone pained me, and I shook a little.

"You know what the best part was?" he asked, distracting me from my morose thoughts. I shook my head. "We didn't even need the intel; Shepard was running around the galaxy taking down the whole Collector home world."

"You couldn't have known, James. You can't... blame yourself for something like this," I whispered, wanting to ease his pain.

"Who said anything about blamin' myself?" he said, his voice taking on a low growl.

I flinched back, avoiding his gaze. "Sorry. I didn't mean..." I started. I didn't know what I meant really. I mean, what the hell did I know about war? I didn't even know about the wars back home.

_God, you're such a dick. Why did you have to ask him, huh? Shit, now he's pissed. _

"It's okay, Muñeca. I don't talk about it much. Guess it sticks in my head after a mission sometimes," he said, his face evening out once again. With a small smile, he took my chin between his forefinger and thumb, bringing my face around to stare into my eyes. "Thanks."

"Any time, Action Man," I said, sighing and attempting to get back to my feet. I hoped he wouldn't dream any more. Seeing a guy like James in pain... it broke something inside me, some wall I'd built since my ex walked out.

"Action Man?" he queried, standing up and pulling me to my feet. I think he either misjudged, or did it on purpose, because I ended up pressed to his bare chest, looking up at his grinning face.

"Yeah, Action Man... It's a thing..." I mumbled, pulling away. My body had other ideas, leaning into him further, before I realised what the hell I was doing and yanked my traitorous hand away from him. "Uh... I'm gonna go back to sleep," I stammered, feeling heat creep up my face.

He raised my hand, still tangled with his, and brushed his lips against it. We stared into each other's eyes for a second, before I slipped my hand from his.

"G'night, James," I whispered, my voice husky.

"May as well get up, Muñeca. Gun training starts in a few hours, an' you need somethin' to eat before we get to the Citadel," he said, rolling his thick shoulders and causing me to look away, my eyes glazing over.

"Please tell me they've got Monster on this ship," I grumbled under my breath. I couldn't live without my morning energy drink; it was the only reason I survived the school rush every morning. I craved it now; my brain had brought the image of a tall, condensation-covered glass of sticky-sweet nectar to mind. "If they don't... then I may as well lie down and die right now."

"Monster?" James asked, his voice pulling me from my caffeine craving haze. He looked genuinely confused... almost as if... _No..._

"You know... Monster? Rockstar? Relentless?" I asked, naming my favorite brands. To my dismay, he shook his head. "Well, get used to a very pissed-off Amiee. Cause without it, I turn into a demon."

"C'mon, some food'll cheer you up," he said, taking my hand and leading me from the room, snagging a t-shirt from his locker and pulling it on.

_I dunno if I should be upset or relieved he's dressed. _

I still wore his shirt, having slipped into it during the night and my feet were bare. My hair... running my fingers through it, I attempted to tame it, but soon gave up. I wore no pants; not that I needed them, Vega's shirt hung like a dress on my tiny frame, so I was pretty decent, if bedraggled. "I... have no idea where to go..."

"The _Normandy's_pretty simple. Right now, we're on the crew deck, so, quarters, medbay, battery, mess, observation deck and lounge," he explained, gesturing to the left of the elevator.

Walking forward slowly, I bit my lip, praying no one was about. I let out a sigh of relief. _Someone up there likes me._The room was empty of people, thankfully, so I continued over the cold metal flooring to the kitchen area. Goosebumps spread up from my freezing feet, but I shrugged it off, my stomach refusing to acknowledge my brain's demands to go back to bed.

"So... is the food here good?" I asked, tilting my head up to look at James.

He smirked at me. "Chica, you haven't _lived_until you've tasted my Huevos Rancheros," he said, a deep chuckle following his boastful words.

"Heuvos Ran... what?" I asked, trying to pronounce the words and failing miserably. I didn't even know how to say it, how the hell did he expect me to know what it was? To be honest, I thought it sounded like a dude's name, but what the shit did I know?

It was his turn to look dismayed, before he puffed his chest out and pointed towards the seating area. "Sit. I'll show you. Prepare to be amazed," he ordered, bending to rattle around in a cupboard.

After taking a second to totally _not_stare at his ass, _which is... just yeah. _I did as I was told and folded myself into one of the seats, bringing my legs up under the t-shirt like I used to as a kid. After a while, a delicious smell of sweet, yet slightly spicy peppers reached my nose, and my stomach let out a growl.

"Please tell me you didn't let him cook," muttered a voice from behind me.

Turning around, I met the gaze of Shepard. She stood, leaning casually against the wall, observing me. Her jeans and t-shirt combo surprised me; for some reason I expected her to wear uptight uniform, so the casual look completely threw the mental image I had of her out of the window. She actually looked nice, her red hair tied in a loose ponytail and her scars not blazing angrily as they had before... she almost looked approachable.

"Him cooking is a bad thing?" I asked, turning back to watch James as he began stirring something in a large bowl. "Smells good to me."

"If you like spicy food, yeah, but personally, I don't wanna start my day with breakfast burning a hole through my tongue," she said, moving over and sitting down. "Sleep well?" she asked, gazing at me with laser-like focus.

Her scrutiny unnerved me, but I smiled through it. "Guess so..." I said, not wanting to bring up the incident with James. For all I knew, Shepard knew nothing about the soldier's past, so I sure as hell wasn't gonna be the one to tell her.

"Wanna tell me why your neck's all bruised?" she asked, nodding to my throat. _Crap... c'mon brain, do your stuff... please..._

"Must've been from yesterday or somethin,'" I said, shrugging my shoulders and hoping my expression remained nonchalant. I hid my hands in my lap, hiding the sudden tremble and I turned to focus on what James was doing... only to realise he was looking at me, his face a mixture of gratitude and regret, his hands still, one holding a spatula, the other a towel. He smiled at me, a gentle, almost shy smile that I returned after a second of stunned blinking. _Okay, he's hot... but when he smiles like that... I think I melted a little. _

"Well, I didn't come down here to get burnt, I came to tell you to suit up after breakfast. We'll be arriving on the Citadel in about two hours. James is taking you to the range, while I take Kaidan to the hospital," Shepard said, standing and grabbing a crisp apple from the bowl in the centre of the table. "Have fun, you two." She left, happily crunching her fruit, leaving me and Vega alone once more.

"Muñeca... you didn't have to lie for me," he said, his voice low and husky. He left the kitchen, bringing two plates over and sitting beside me. Nodding down to the food, he grinned. "Try it."

"I'm not going to tell your secrets, Action Man, I'm not like that. What happened in that room, stays in that room," I said, cutting into the egg part of the meal and taking a small, almost hesitant bite. Flavor bloomed in my mouth, rich, full and delicious. "Oh lord.. I think I'ma marry you," I groaned, before realising what I'd said. Blushing furiously, I swallowed my mouthful and avoided his eyes.

He smirked, a sly half grin that was as sinful as hell. "Well, I gotta take you for on a date first, chica," he rumbled, making me drop my fork. "And the firing range don't count."

I flushed, pushing my plate away, earning a disapproving stare from my companion. "I'm full," I said, stubbornly raising my chin, daring him to say something. My family had always been the same, constantly shouting at me because I was a picky eater. It wasn't like I was anorexic or anything. I mean, I've got me some curves, it's just after years of barely eating when I danced, I just didn't have an appetite.

"You barely touched it," he grumbled. Meeting my stare, he shook his head, pushing his own plate away. "Fine, c'mon, I'll help you get suited up."

"Why do I need to get suited up?" I asked, standing up and stretching a little.

He didn't smile this time; instead, he gave me a level look. "Because I don't wanna see you hurt, Muñeca," he said, his voice low and thick. "War has a habit of taking people from me, and I won't let it take you too." The haunted look in his eyes pulled me closer, and I reached out a hand to stroke his face, silent enquiry in my eyes. "I'll tell you about her some day," he promised, brushing his thumb over my cheek towards my lips.

I couldn't explain the pull he had on me, the need I had to... care for him. I don't even know, but I knew this was dangerous. I had to remember this was just a game, he was nothing but pixels... a drawing come to life. But... as he caressed my skin, his thumb warm and callused over my bottom lip, my brain pushed that aside. Until I got an omni-tool I was stuck here; may as well live in the moment... right. I mean, what was the worst that could happen?


	7. Seventh Ring Of Hell

_Make it so? Please make it so... Uh... Abra kadabra... Accio? Wait that's summoning... Make it so! Make it so! STUPID GAME! MAKE IT BLOODY SO! _

I'd been chanting this for twenty minutes... screaming it, really... hoping that my armour would somehow magically mould itself to my body as it had before. It hung, limply, almost defiantly on the rack, and I growled, swearing under my breath. _Stupid thing, just... get on me already. _

"I have no idea how I'm supposed to put you on," I muttered to it, well aware I was talking to an inanimate object. "Just... Um, okay, let's try this." Reaching into the armour locker, I pulled out the chest part, looking it over for the instructions. _Damn, no instructions, not even french ones... now what the hell do I do?_

"The clip's on the side, Muñeca," rumbled a voice from behind me. Tanned hands entered my field of vision, taking the chest plate from my limp fingers. "Let me help you, turn round."

Doing as I was told, I turned to face James,. "Sorry, I don't mean to be useless," I muttered, my skin blazing. I watched him closely as he demonstrated the magnetic clip system and held out my arms as he strapped it to my chest and back. The clips activated, locking the light material... metal? over my torso.

"Don't worry. I couldn't do my armor for a long time, always had to get a buddy to help me out. Now, see this button here?" he asked, directing me to a little nub at the waist. "Press this, hold it for ten seconds and your armour will unlock. It's set so it won't come off in a fight, but docs can get it off if you get hurt," he explained, taking the greaves from the locker now.

He knelt down, quickly strapping them to my legs. He connected them easily, making me blush as his fingers brushed my thighs. "These have a sprint boost, so if you get into trouble activate it and you'll move faster," he said, his voice turning husky as his hand hesitated. He seemed to shake himself and stood up. "Sorry," he mumbled, his eyes heated. He rubbed the back of his neck and turned away.

"S'okay," I mumbled. My heart pounded and my breathing sped up, no doubt telling him enough about my reaction to make me want to just die. _Not a damn word, Action Man. I swear to god I will pwn your ass! _

Turning back to my locker I took hold of my gauntlets and gloves, tugging them on with a little struggle. _Well at least-_

"Wrong way, Muñeca," he said, chuckling softly. Once again, hands entered my field of vision. I could feel his warm breath on the back of my neck, as he removed the gauntlets and turned them around. "This side up," he whispered, his lips grazing my earlobe.

I froze, and somehow my hands ended up in his, the long fingers curling over mine as he turned me to face him. Looking up into his face, I met his eyes. His head bent, bringing our lips millimeters apart. "James, what are we doing?" I asked, uncertainty and nerves making my tone tremble.

"What is it about you?" he asked gently. He didn't give me chance to respond. Our lips met, softly, almost like a butterfly caress and the world faded around me. Heat curled in my stomach, and my hands tightened around his as he deepened the kiss, pressing me into the lockers.

My back met metal as his big body caged mine, his arm snaking around my waist. The other rose, bringing his fingers to my face, holding me in place as his tongue traced the seam of my lips. I parted my lips, groaning softly at the taste of him: spicy, sweet, intoxicating. James's hand buried itself in my hair and my hands found their way to his chest as our tongues met, gliding over one another's. I felt like I was drowning, my body shutting my mind down, all instinct and no thought as his teeth tugged my bottom lip and his hand on my lower back pulled me closer. I could almost feel the heat of his skin through the armour. Another moan escaped me, a prayer or a plea, I didn't really know, but he responded, growling deep in his throat.

"Oh, excuse me..." interrupted the rather flustered voice of Liara. We jumped apart, both panting, dazed and confused. "My apologies for disturbing you, but Shepard is waiting for us at the dock." She trailed off, her skin purpling.

For some reason, the fact she was embarrassed took away a little of my 'alien' phobia. The reaction was so... human, that it just put me at ease. I mean, I don't think I'd ever get over the tentacle things, but at least I didn't shudder when I looked at her.

"I'm ready, I'll come with you... James... I'll meet you down there," I said, hurrying across the room, avoiding his eyes. _Stupid, stupid, stupid girl. _Liara seemed to understand my need to escape, because she moved aside, nodding to James and following me from the room.

"Amiee? Are you feeling well?" she asked, following me into the elevator. "You can put your mind at ease when it comes to your relationship with James," she said softly. "I am not Alliance, and personally do not agree with the fraternization rule."

I shook my head, silently dying inside and wishing she'd shut the hell up. My armour felt hot, restrictive and heavy now. James's touch had made my body sensitive to every single thing, even the light flow of air through the vent above me. "I don't have a relationship with James... that was a mistake. One that should never have happened," I whispered.

_I guess now I know why people get so attached to fictional characters. They make you feel shit... Fuckers. It doesn't even matter, its not like he can give you a future, as soon as you're out of this dumb ass game and Mia comes back online, you can go home. He'll be nothing more than a memory... _

I tried to push it down, but my mind kept picturing his face and one question kept coming back. _If its just a game... why does it hurt so bad? _

I realized then that Liara was speaking and the doors of the lift had opened. _Great, now you look like a knobhead, staring off into space, no doubt with a schoolgirl expression on your goddamn face. Jesus, Amiee, get a fricking grip. _

"I'm sorry, Liara. What did you say?" I asked, my face colouring.

She smiled, shaking her strange head. "I understand. I was in the process of explaining the Prothean weapon to you," she said. She stepped forward, exiting the elevator and gesturing with a small wave of her hand for me to go ahead.

"Weapon...?" I asked, following her. She led me into a large area, full of benches covered in bits of guns from the look of things, and more wheelless cars.

"Yes. While on Mars, we uncovered a Prothean artifact. Hidden within it, we found plans, blueprints for a weapon, massive in size and scope, capable of unquantifiable amounts of destruction," she explained.

"A weapon to fight what? Like, a nuke?" I asked. I couldn't imagine something that could do 'unquantifiable' amounts of damage.

"To fight the Reapers," she said, her voice taking on the 'You're a dumbass' tone.

"What the hell is a Reaper?"

"Oh, excuse me. I had forgotten about your memory loss," she said. "The Reapers are a race of of sentient beings. They... harvest advanced life forms. They return from deep space every fifty thousand years to start another cycle."

"Okay... that doesn't sound like something I wanna have anythin' to do with," I said, a little panic in my tone. "Why are you fighting them? Don't you have... space magic or something, just... zap them, or laser them?"

"Space magic? Lasers?" she asked, her blue head tilting. "Oh, you mean biotics. You have never seen a Reaper. They are huge creatures, armored and powerful. Taking one down... it takes more than biotics."

"What do they... look like? Are they the same as the dudes on Mars? The gold 'n' white ones?" I asked, trying to figure out the jumble in my head.

She shook her head. "No, they are Cerberus. They work for someone called The Illusive Man."

_The Illusive Man. I can't decide whether that's the coolest or the most... arrogant name in the bloody world. I mean, Illuminati much? May as well call himself Megamind and be done with it. Bet he's got some phallic-shaped ship somewhere, all 'Hey, look at me, I'm a badass in my giant cock for a ship' _

Liara glared at me. "You seem to drift off a lot," she remarked. "I would not recommend doing that in front of the commander. She does not take kindly to inattention."

_Oh get your tentacles out of your arse. Its not like I'm even gonna be here when y'all go off killin' stuff. I'm goin' home. _Vega's face flashed in my mind, but I pushed aside the twinge of longing. _Pixels, Amiee. _

"I'll keep that in mind. Can't blame me, really; I don't remember all this crap," I said, shrugging. What did she expect? I'm not a soldier, I'm just a mum, yeah, mums are badass 'n' shit. I mean, I can do a school run in eight minutes flat, but taking on a Reaper? She said they were huge? _Knew I should have made myself bigger. _

"Liara, Amiee," shouted a voice. "Get in the damn decon. We move in five. Where's Vega?"

Shepard's head popped out of a little room, a glare on her face. I couldn't help but notice her scars were glowing again. "He's coming, just putting on his-" I started to say. I was cut off by a heavy hand on my shoulder.

"Here, Commander. We set?" James asked, keeping his hand where it was. Shepard stared for a second, glancing between us. "Commander?"

She shook her head, disappearing back into the 'decon' room, whatever the hell that was. "Just move. You've got the rookie to train today."

James guided me in after Shepard, and I could hear Liara's light steps behind us. Squeezing myself into the small space, I panted, claustrophobia tightening my stomach. "I... can we open a window or something?" I asked a second later, as sweat began to bead on my brow. Normally tight spaces didn't bother me, but having the medi-bed carrying the still-unconscious Kaidan, not to mention Shepard, Liara, and James-who was bloody huge-pressed against me. My hands shook, my heart pounded and for some strange reason, I needed to pee.

"Can't. Need to decon before headin' out," James explained, his voice a low rumble I could almost feel due to his proximity.

"What the hell is dec-"

I screamed ... I hate to admit it, but being in a tight space, with lots of people was bad enough. But when some fucker decides to spray us all with icy, antiseptic-smelling air, I freaked the hell out. "What the shit is that?"

"Decontamination," Shepard said, rolling her eyes as I danced around, knocking into James. I tried to avoid the sprays, trying being the word, considering they were everywhere. Did I mention they were cold? Yeah, like having ice shoved down your damn knickers. _A frickin perv designed that butt level one ... I just know it. _

Thankfully, it didn't last too long, and my hopping dance ended as the door opened. Light, sound, and smell overwhelmed me. The sight in front of me was something I don't think I'll ever forget. Looking past the bustling docking area, I could see a vista like I'd never seen before.

Ships hung in the sky, some zipping around, almost too fast for me to follow, whereas some lazed there, just... hanging around. _Ships don't 'hang around,' Amiee. _Turning slightly to face the view more, I gasped, taking it all in. Viewing the huge arms of the station, I couldn't speak, just trying to wrap my head around the sheer size of it all.

"Welcome to the Citadel, Muñeca," James said, his lips brushing my ear as he bent his head to mine.

Shepard nodded to us as she passed. They rushed passed us, meeting with a large collection of what looked like medics. Once they'd disappeared from sight, James held out his gloved hand. "C'mon."

Accepting his hand, I met his eyes. "Where to?" I asked.

"First, I'm gonna teach you how to shoot properly. Then, if we get time, I'll show you round a lil bit, maybe grab some food, 'parently they do good noodles here. We'll get you another omni-tool while we're here too."

_Finally. I'm coming home, Kye. _


	8. Hell In A Helmet?

"Oh. My. God. Spider!"

I screamed, climbing James like a tree, trying to get away from the ... _thing._It stood, about four feet tall, olive green in colour, with _legs. _Too many legs to be anything other than a spider. I peeked over James's shoulder, clinging to his back like a tiny monkey. I watched it creep towards me, something akin to malice in its orb-like eyes.

"Get it away, please. Kill it. Kill it. Kill it," I panted, my legs tightening around James waist as my arms just about choked him. "James, please, kill it."

My so-called protector laughed. "Its not a spider, its a Keeper," he explained through his mirth. "It won't hurt you."

"I don't give a shite what it's called. It's a damn buggie an- Is that a backpack?" The 'Keeper' wore a strange purple backpack, strapped to its creepy, gangly body, and even more disturbing, was the fact it wore a bib. I mean, a bib. _Anthropomorphization much? _

"Muñeca, as much as I like you wrapped around me, I'd prefer you to be on my front," he said, taking my hands from his shoulders and lowering me to the floor.

"Don't ... let it touch me, please," I whispered, peeking out from under his arm. Just a little glance, but it sent me into shivers. It _moved._Its feet clicked on the metal floor until it stopped in front of us, peering up as if to say 'Excuse me, you're in my way.'

"It won't touch you, they're totally harmless. They ... fix things, I guess. They've always worked on the Citadel, cleaning 'n' stuff," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "Just look at it, it's okay."

"Can. Can I touch it?" I asked, curious now. "I mean, don't let it ... kill me or anything, okay?"

Without waiting for him to say more, I reached around, poking the thing in the face. At first, I thought it wouldn't react, but as soon as I drew my finger away, a ripple went through it and well, it exploded. Not like, literally, but still, it died or some shit. Melted, I think I'd call it, just ... disintegrated, coating my legs in green goo.

"Amiee, you ... killed a Keeper," James said, staring at me. He burst out laughing, huge gaffaws that brought heat to my cheeks.

"James, will you shut the hell up? This is serious," I said, panicking. "Am I going to get arrested? Are they ... people? Like, sentient?"

"No, no, it's ... fine. I mean, it's totally illegal to mess with Keepers. Let's run really, really fast," James said, taking my hand and pulling me away. "Just in case."

My boots squeaked on the floor, and my cheeks flushed. The smell of the keeper reached my nose, and I gagged a little. It stank to high heaven, pungent and almost acidic. Ralph Wiggum came to mind: 'It smells like burning.' I had to snort out a laugh. My brain ... sometimes I worry about it.

"Where're we going?" I asked in a whisper as he pulled me into the elevator. I stopped, just outside it, staring open-mouthed at the ... bird things. Well, not birds, almost dinosaurs, I think, maybe. "Okay, what are they?" I asked, flinching under their gazes.

"Turian. C-Sec," he explained. He nodded to the one on the left, his shoulders stiffening and his chest puffing out. For some reason, the term 'pissing competition,' came to mind. Posturing, really? I'm standing here, covered in goop, and he's flexing. _Stupid boys. _

I sighed, rolling my eyes and dragging James into the elevator and jamming a random button.

He stared at me. "What's did I do?"

"Nothing," I snapped.

"No, seriously, what did I do? You're all ... angry."

"If you don't know, then I'm not gonna tell you," I said, pouting. I crossed my arms and tapped my foot. I know, typical woman response, right? I mean, what did he expect? For me to just ... tell him what he did wrong? C'mon, he's gotta be smarter than that. If I just _tell _him, he'll never learn.

"But if you don't tell me, then I can't fix it," he said, his words almost a rumble. I didn't answer, and he stuck his hands into his pockets, scuffing his boot on the floor. "Aw, c'mon, Muñeca, don't be mad at me." He gave me the puppy dog look, all big chocolate brown eyes, and guess what; I melted. Damn him.

Taking a deep breath, I let it out in a huff. "I'm not mad, I'm just ... overwhelmed. There's all these ... aliens, and I don't know how to deal with it. Things explode when I touch them, people shoot at me-" I let myself trail off, trying to find the words to just ... tell him, to tell him that I wasn't really from his world. Could I tell him that he was just a character in a game? That his whole life had been scripted, his choices not really his own?

"You can tell me, Amiee," he whispered, moving closer. "Trust me."

"James ... I," I started to say, only to be interrupted by his comm unit activating.

"James, get back to the _Normandy_. We're going to Palaven."

* * *

"Looks like you're gonna get your training on the job," Shepard said, her gray eyes shining as she glanced over at me. She sat, her hands folded neatly in front of her, tense, expectant and cagy. Her armour encased her, the helmet sat on the floor between her legs. "Don't worry, I'm pairing you with Vega. He'll look after you."

"I don't even know how to fire a gun," I muttered, fiddling with the cuff of my gauntlet. I'd tried to protest this, not wanting to go with them, but Shepard had said they needed the extra set of hands. I think she had more confidence in me than she should.

I'd been given an omni-tool, but every time I tried to activate it to go home, something came up. First, James had insisted on taking me through a quick run-through of the weapons and ammo, then Shepard had wanted to do a second walk-through, explaining random things, telling me names of random things. I mean, telling me not to let a husk eat my face ... I'm not an idiot, why would she need to tell me this ... _fifteen times?_

I guess they were trying to help, to show me what I needed to do. To me, it seemed stupid. I couldn't help but wonder if this was preset, that this was part of the game, that I would only be able to go home once this guy, some politician guy was safe. Maybe everything from the return to the ship to here was like, unsavable. Some games won't let you save until a certain point, right?

Shepard smiled. "You do know how to fight, Amiee. You saved James, me and Liara. Don't doubt yourself."

"Well yeah, but I've never ... except for Mars, I've never been in a fight before," I whispered. "I'm scared." God, it hurt to admit. I've always thought I was brave, good with pain, stress 'n' stuff, but this. Knots were tightening in my gut, my hands shook and my body felt supersensitive, like it was desperately trying to warn me; some instinct, telling me to just run away.

I glanced down at my omni-tool, tempted to do just that, right in front of Shepard, Liara, and James, but I couldn't. I couldn't leave them right now could I? They'd asked me to come because they wanted me to help them save lives ... I couldn't abandon them now, even if I am a total noob..

_It's not real, go home now, dumbass, before you die. This isn't your fight. _

My hand hesitated, reaching for the device. Liara's horrified voice broke my concentration. "Oh,no. No. Palaven."

I looked up, watching the screen, seeing a planet ... burning. I'd never seen anything like it. Fire seemed to pour out of the huge planet, like magma, orange, violent, terrifying. I shook even harder. My hand moved away from my device.

_Just this one. One mission, then you're going home, to your son, to somewhere the worlds don't ... burn. _

"Your home?" I asked Liara, hoping I was wrong. _I'd never want to see my home die like that. _

"No, an old friend lives there," Shepard answered, her voice low and full of pain.

"They could've gotten out," I suggested, hoping to comfort her. I swallowed, turning away from the screen. "They may not even be there."

James swallowed, his arm reaching above my head to hold on as the shuttle shook. "Holy hell. They're getting decimated."

"Strongest military in the galaxy and the Reapers are obliterating it," the Commander responded, making James look away, his face tight.

_If thats the strongest military out there, what do they expect us to do? How can four people fight something that's knocking ships from the sky like flies? _

"I've never seen anything like it. It's ... God, all those people," I said, closing my eyes to block out the images. Opening them again, I watched the others for a second.

James met my eyes, his gaze full of emotion I couldn't name. I reached out, taking his hand, keeping it hidden from the others while trying to offer some comfort. He squeezed my fingers tightly.

"Was it like this on Earth?" Liara asked, turning to face Shepard.

The commander, her scars burning, looked between us all. "Yes."

Her voice held so much ... rage. It scared me, but at the same time, it filled me with confidence, with-I dunno, but something inside me rose up, answering her anger. My heart began to hammer, my fingers tightening around James's. I would fight for her, even if it meant waiting to go home ... just for a little while longer.

"I'm sorry," Liara said, her voice slightly breathless.

"Commander. The LZ's getting swarmed," our pilot called, as the shuttle shuddered again, this time sending me sideways in my seat.

Shepard took her rifle from her back, signaling for us to do the same. "James, open that hatch."

I stood, following James to stand just behind Shepard. My body rocked, the shuttle wavering, making me brace my legs. We raised our weapons. I could already hear the sound of battle, feel the heat from the flaming carcasses of downed ships, and smell the sulfuric scent of the burning bodies.

"Contact!"

I saw them then, the strange, humanoid husks. I recognised them from the image Shepard had shown me, but knowing what they looked like did nothing to prepare me for this. They screamed, growled and snarled, throwing themselves up the cliff we faced, moving faster than I would've thought possible. The sky was dark, teeming with Reapers, ships and smoke. The landscape, a mess of rocks, cliffs and broken buildings. I tried to focus, the effects of war shocking me more than I would have thought. I mean, I expected there to be damage, but this ... destruction had taken any beauty the moon could have had away.

James, Shepard and Liara began firing, knocking them back. The two women alternated between rounds and biotics, ripping the husk away using pull attacks, or sending them plummeting by slamming rounds into their backs.

James shouted something at me, I couldn't hear what he'd said over his rifle fire, but his intent was clear._Help them. _Lifting my viper, I lined up a shot, squeezing the trigger once I was sure to hit my target. The recoil hit me, knocking me back a little bit, but I braced again, firing a second time and watching as my target fell, meters away from a turian who it'd been charging towards.

I could hear the sizzle of biotics fly past me, Liara sending out another blue orb, lifting three husks into the air. I fired, three rounds, killing them. I bit my lip as she smiled at me. A grim smile, but it gave me a confidence boost. We worked in tandem until the shuttle landed, keeping the husks off the LZ so we wouldn't be overwhelmed when we touched down.

"Cortez, get the shuttle clear," Shepard ordered, leaping from the craft.

I followed her, a puff of dust billowing up from my boots as I jumped down from the shuttle. Looking around, I swallowed back my fear. In the distance, I could see the Reapers. Like the husks, I'd seen images of them, but I don't think anything could've prepared me for the sheer _size _of what we'd be facing. They towered over the horizon, striding across the land like giants, making it tremble under their colossal feet. The noise too, it deafened me; a strange, high rumble, like a mutated trumpet.

_Holy shit, that thing is motherfucking huge! How the fuck to we take one of those things down, we're like ants to it. One yeah, maybe, with a nuke or somethin', but six? Seven? A hundred. We're so fucked. _

"Move out," Shepard said, running forward, throwing a warp at another husk sending it flying. We reached the turians that'd been repelling the enemy forces, and they directed us towards someone called General Corinthus.

Tearing my gaze from the Reaper, I followed, using my Viper to knock back anything coming our way. James ran to the left of me, and Liara ran to the right, both keeping level at all times. I had the strangest feeling this had been done on purpose, almost as if ... Looking towards Shepard, catching her worried glance. I knew then, that she had done it deliberately-making sure I was covered at all times.

We headed toward a large barricade, heavily guarded and fortified, but under attack. Charging forward, the four of us attacked the husks from behind, drawing them to us, giving the turians on the barricade a reprieve.

Seven more husks scrambled over the edge of the cliff, their terrifying screeches reaching us first. Shepard let loose a shockwave, pummeling the ground with the cascade. Three were thrown back, but two slipped through. James blew one up with his carnage attack, the other he slashed with his omni-blade. Liara threw another, leaving me with one.

I tried to help, I really did, even switching to the pistol on my hip and firing. I turned, trying to put some room between myself and the creature, freaking out a little as I got a closer look.

It looked like a mangled zombie, blue, wire-covered, blackened teeth and huge, orb-like eyes. I didn't get far when I felt it land on my back, teeth sinking into my neck as it growled. Its hands started tearing at my face, and its teeth buried deeper into my flesh.

I fought, my elbow driving back into it's face, each blow ripping my skin more, until finally, with one agonising tear, it fell from me. I spun, spraying the ground with blood, activating my omni-blade as James had shown me and slamming it into the things throat. It gargled, a last dying breath leaving its body before it fell limp. I raised my hand to my neck, crying out in pain.

_Please don't let me turn into a zombie. _

My vision blurred as the forms of my three teammates ran towards me, the battlefield for now silent except James's whispered gasp. "Dios mio, Muñeca."


	9. Broken Hell

"Slap some medi-gel on it! We need to move!" Shepard shouted, turning to cover us. The silence didn't last long. A second or two passed, and more husks came scrambling towards us.

"More on the way!" Liara called. Her biotics crackled as she threw another singularity. "Get her through the barricade, we'll cover you."

"How bad is it, James?" I asked, my voice hoarse. My neck throbbed, sending jagged fire into my brain. I trembled, my fists clenched against the pain, but even so, I couldn't stop the whimper that escaped me.

He didn't answer, his face a mask of deadly calm as he scooped me up and ran towards the lowering barricade. I could hear Liara and Shepard pounding after us, their weapons still firing, joining the sound of the turians trying to give us a chance to escape.

Several voices spoke, all saying the same thing. "Clear!"

James lowered me to the ground as the barricade closed behind us. His hands tipped my head to the side to view my wound. I could feel blood soaking my neck, leaking down under my armour to coat my chest, making me fidget.

"Stay still," he whispered, pulling out a weird orange packet. "This is gonna sting." He coated his fingers, meeting my eyes for a second before nodding and gently covering the wound in goop.

My neck burned, a rapid flash of heat before a blissful wave of cooling numbness coated the ragged skin. I took a deep breath. "What is that?" I asked, raising my hand to explore the gloopy stuff coating my neck.

He caught my hand. "Don't touch it, let it heal. It's medi-gel, it'll fix some of the damage," James commanded, helping me to my feet. He smiled, a soft smile, before slipping his head back into his helmet and activating the clips. "Don't let any more husks bite you." He nudged me, tenderness in every movement, as if he didn't want to break me. His hands lingering on my hips a little longer than strictly necessary.

"Yeah, I got that," I said, rolling my eyes and blushing. "Thank you."

Shepard panted, sweat dripping down her face. Her voice was raspy as she addressed us. "James, keep an eye on her, I'm going to find the Primarch." She nodded, turning away and gesturing for Liara to follow.

I could almost feel James's longing and guilt flashed through me. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to have to baby me," I whispered, knowing he'd hear me over our comms. "Go, follow her. I'll just ... stand here, minding this spot."

He shook his head, the visor of his helmet flashing. "Muñeca ... Amiee, I brought you with me 'cause I know you're gonna be a good fighter. Everyone makes mistakes."

The regret in his voice made my heart go out to him, but then I felt the anger that seethed just below it and pulled back.

"I'm still sor-" I started, before giving up and sighing. I knew my words were useless here. Seeing the destruction around me, I knew only action would show him how truly sorry I was. _Damn it, Amiee, you've gotta stop this shit. You've gotta show him that you ain't some damn pussy, cowering in the corner. Suck it up, kick some ass and hug him later. _

I heard shouting, screams of people dying, gunfire and explosions, all overlaid by the sound of the Reapers. It was the sound of death. As I stood there, the air trembling with the Reaper's roar, the earth shaking with their passing, people being brushed aside like ants, something built up inside me, an anger and a defiance that I'd never felt before. I knew, rationally, that this was a game, designed to make me feel this way, but I couldn't help but grit my teeth and snarl at the Reapers.

_They're not winning this, I don't care if I have to move Heaven and Earth, this is stopping. I can't just give up, let the creepy squid things win. _

"C'mon, let's go. I'm not standing here like a useless flid. I wanna know what's going on," I said to James. I began to move towards Shepard, who stood inside a bunker, a red armored turian beside her.

He cocked his head and followed. "What's a ... flid?" he asked, as we reached Shepard, Liara and who I could only assume was the Commanding officer.

"An idiot," I muttered, flushing as they all turned to look at me.

Shepard raised her brow, but said nothing about our intrusion. She turned back to the turian. "As I was saying. General Corinthus, I need to find Primarch Fadorian."

Corinthus looked down at his console, his creepy three taloned hand tapping away for a second. He steeled himself, meeting our gazes one by one, until finally, he spoke. "Primarch Fadorian is dead. His shuttle was shot down about an hour ago as he tried to leave the moon."

Shepard cursed, her voice a low growl. "That's going to complicate things." She shook her head. "I'm sorry. That's a big loss for everyone. Damn Reaper bastards."

_Jesus, Shep, show a little compassion why don't ya. _I swallowed down the sick rising in my throat. She sounded so ... heartless. The difference between this Shepard, and the one I'd spoken to on the Normandy really shook me. I didn't like bitches, they tended to rise my hackles, and right now, the tone of her voice was all bitch.

"So what happens now?" she asked, turning to lean on the console. It was as almost as if she hadn't just heard about the death of the person we'd been sent to find.

"The turian hierarchy provides very clear lines of succession," Liara said, interjecting. She reminded me of that witch. _Hermione Granger? _Little know it all, always having her hand up, always knowing the answer. Kye loves her ... she drives me demented. I just want to shoot her in the face.

"Right. Corinthus?" Shepard asked, a twinkle in her eye as she looked at me. She knew what I'd been thinking, I could tell, and for some reason, the smirk on her face brought one to my own. She may be a bitch, but she hates know-it-all's as much as I do.

"With such high casualties, it's hard for me to be certain who the next Primarch is. Palaven Command will know," the general said. He activated his omni-tool, his fingers moving over the holo display, bringing up a complex-looking map. "However, at the moment, contacting them is impossible. The comm tower is out."

He closed the device, his dual-toned voice rumbling as he faced us. "Husks are swarming that area- we can't get close enough to repair it."

I faced Shepard, already knowing what she'd say before she said it. _Here we go, BatWoman to the rescue ... dragging along Action Man, Squidhead and ... me. Brilliant. _

"Well, I'm not leaving this moon until I know where the Primarch is. I'll fix your tower."

"Thank you, Commander. I'll take care of things from this end," Corinthus replied, relief and gratitude colouring his tone.

I couldn't help the little snark in my head, wondering how many people playing this scene had rolled their eyes. I mean, it wasn't exactly well done. Corinthus had no real ... fluidity I guess, even considering that the turian race was apparently very rigid.

I'd been looking up the races on the journey here, from creepy turians, to huge jellyfish hanar. Some really scared me, the vorcha mostly, krogan too ... _I mean, dinosaurs that could walk, talk and think? Nah, not my cup of tea. I'll stick with squidhead. At least I think I can take her in a fight ... as long as she doesn't throw blue crap my way._

"I see the comm tower. To the left of the main barricade, in front of Palaven," Liara said, her gun in her hands as she indicated the large satellite dish in the distance.

Blushing, I tried to look as though I hadn't just been standing there, a moronic look on my face. I just hoped Shep hadn't said something important. "Which way?" I asked, before realising I'd asked a derp question. _She just said to the left, Amiee, muppet. _

Shepard shook her head and gestured to a large barricade, much like the one we'd entered through. She stopped after a few feet, picking up a huge gun and throwing it to me. "It's a Scimitar. Shotgun. Maybe it'll stop you getting your throat bitten out," she said, grinning as I hefted its weight.

"Or maybe I'll shoot my own leg off, ya know, cause this thing is _huge!"_I shouted as she took off, dashing through the lowered barricade and disappearing. Liara and James followed, close on her heels, both chuckling as they ran.

I took the shotgun, loading it as I'd been shown and ran after them. The terrain tripped me up a few times, random rocks seeming to appear from nowhere, but after a second, I found my bearings and tore after my team, vaulting over a low outcropping.

Ahead of us stood three turians. One of them I recognised, but hadn't caught the name of. He lowered his rifle a little, looking us over as we joined him. "Husks at the tower overwhelmed us!" he shouted over the noise of his comrade, who were firing towards the comm tower. "Its like they came from nowhere!"

I turned my head, and saw the zombie-like creatures teeming around the base of the tower we were trying to get to. I didn't think their was that many ... Until I moved forward with the team and saw another knot of them to the left. _Shit, I'm gonna get bitten again, I just know it. _

Swallowing down the bolt of fear, I bared my teeth and ran forward, this time raising the shotgun still clutched in my hands. I fired, not bracing properly and screamed as pain shot up my arm. The recoil had nearly shattered my shoulder, only the fact I wore armour had protected me. _Brace damn it, fucktard. _ I berated myself internally, the pain in my shoulder lessening to a dull roar.

Liara and James flanked me once more as Shepard led the way into the fight, her biotics already lifting several of them off their feet. She threw them, launching the off the side of the cliff into the ravine beside us, clearing a path. Dead turians littered the ground, their weapons and thermal clips lying around for us to collect as we passed.

"James!" I screamed, firing again as a husk charged my partner. Its shoulder exploded, the limb flying off somewhere as it screamed and James plugged its chest with bullets. I turned, bringing my shotgun up to fire again, taking out another husk charging towards me from behind a large rock. We worked in tandem, Liara and Shepard forming their own team, in sync with ours clearing the area around the tower. Husks fell, to either the biotics of the women, or the rounds from me and James. After what seemed like hours, silence fell once more.

"Okay, Amiee?" James asked, coming to stand beside me as Shepard and Liara began inspecting the tower control panel.

I nodded, my chest heaving as breath sawed in and out. "Think I'm gonna have to hit the gym or some shit, that was intense." I panted, trying to keep my eye on the perimeter as well as Shepard.

She cursed, her fist hammering the console. "James, you're up for tower repair," she called, taking her rifle from her back again.

He glanced at me, before nodding. "On it. Might take me awhile, but I'll do my best." He left my side to scramble up the ladder, his face a mask of determination.

"Here they come," Liara called, bringing my attention from James.

"Ready, ladies?" Shepard said, that familiar note of excitement in her tone.

Liara nodded, standing to the left of Shepard as I moved to her right. I could already hear the husks, snapping and snarling towards us, and sure enough, they came swarming over the edge of the cliff. I would have rolled my eyes, had I not been terrified. I mean, you'd think they'd change tactics, wouldn't you, considering we had two biotics with us, both able to fling them away easily.

"You bet, let's take these monsters," the asari snarled, launching a singularity. The orb swept three husks up and both Shepard and I fired, dropping them to the floor, holes riddling their twisted bodies.

Huge splashes of fire, accompanied by thundering explosions and screaming husks jolted me, making my heart race as more came swarming towards us. I dared to look up, seeing huge, dragon-like things dropping the zombies to the ground, like planes dropping paratroopers.

I hoped then, that I would never have to face one of those; they looked like they could eat me in one bite. Thankfully, they didn't land, simply dropped their loads and flew off, dodging the turian ships chasing them down.

My shoulder ached and sweat dripped down my brow, plastering my hair to my face. I didn't stop, didn't waver, just kept up my barrage of bullets, keeping James and the tower safe. I had to fall back once or twice, to pick up ammo from the little cache Shepard had pointed out. Other than that brief reprieve, there had been no slowing in combat, and soon enough, I was exhausted.

"Got it done, Commander," James called over the comm during a break in the fighting. "On my way down."

I ran to the right, seeing a husk trying to slip past, but three rounds halted me as James joined in the fight. He must have slid down the ladder to have gotten to us so fast, and the thought made me grin.

"General, do you read? The comm tower is now operational," Shepard shouted, making me wince as her voice rang in my ear. I threw one of my grenades, deafening myself for a second as it exploded in front of me, throwing me back to land on my ass and killing the last husk in my way.

"-ander. I'll contact Palaven Command," the general responded, his voice coming in hazy, over the hissing of my ears.

"Muñeca, next time, throw it a little further. I don't mind massaging that ass of yours when you bang it up, but the bruises don't turn me on," James said, winking at me.

Shepard moved towards us, her finger on her ear, saving him from my wrath. "Let us know when you've got something. We'll help your men till I hear from you."

"Understood."

_Here we go again. _

I scrambled to my feet, just in time for three more dragon drops to explode around me. I flinched back, bringing up my Scimitar up and firing. One of the husks gripped my arm, its leathery skin sliding off my polished armour as I swung round, my fist slamming into its jaw. I punched it three times, making sure to keep my thumb outside of my fist, swinging from the hip like James had taught me. It stumbled back, and I brought up my shotgun, blasting its head in two.

"Damn, Muñeca, I'd hate to see you pissed," James shouted as he entered the fray, his omni-blade slashing out, hacking at the husks and giving me a little breathing room.

"Baby, you ain't seen nothin' yet," I warned, swinging around, and hammering the stock of my gun into another husks face.

He grinned, helping me clear the last couple. "I'd love to see you dance," he said, confusing me.

_Dance? _I tilted my head, lowering my weapon now the attack had stopped. "Dance?" I asked.

"The way you move ... dayum," he whispered, moving closer to me.

I rolled my eyes. "James. Not the time for flirting," I warned, gesturing to the giant Reaper in the distance.

He sobered, eyes hardening. "Yeah, sorry. Its just ... Yeah, never mind."

I would have said something, I don't know what, but something to put that twinkle back into his eyes, had I not been cut off by the voice of Corinthus over the comm. "Commander Shepard. Do you read?"

"Go ahead," she responded, nodding at us to follow.

"I have news from Palaven Command. Please return, ASAP."

"On our way."

_Please be good news..._

**_A/N. This is just a quick thank you to both Exar Kun IV, and Wubstep, for giving me the push to get this chapter done. To Exar for reviewing all my chapters and giving me some really positive feedback, as well as telling me my story has stolen his heart. And to Wub, my lovely friend, who's endless encouragement has given me the drive to keep writing, love ya both. And how could I forget my amazing beta's, Kim, Pie and Bee, y'all are amazing. Please read and Review, I love getting them. xxx Amiee xxx _**


	10. Heartache and Hell

The barricade closed behind us, and I sagged, exhausted. I could see Corinthus, waiting in his bunker, the glow from his command console illuminating his face. I rolled my shoulder at exactly the same time as Shepard, and for some reason, I began to laugh. She joined in when she realized what I'd been laughing at, both of us giggling like school girls, both high from battle.

"What?" James asked, looking between us. He removed his helmet, his scarred face a mixture of confusion and amusement.

"Nothing," we said together, the simultaneous answer and mock innocent tone earning another round of chuckles.

_Maybe she hasn't a stick up her ass, after all. _

Shepard winked, before the grin faded from her lips, and the soldier returned. "Enough, move it."

_Oops, spoke too soon. _

I nodded, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. She took point, leading us over to the turian commander, her posture rigid. "What have you got?" she asked as she stepped up the ramp, joining him.

Corinthus stood back from his console, meeting our eyes before focusing on Shepard. "As your partner said, succession is usually simple. But right now, the hierarchy's in chaos-so many dead, or MIA," he said, his dual-tone voice rumbling.

Shepard stood taller, the strength in her face belying her tiny stature. "I need someone-I don't care who, as long as they can get us the turian resources we need."

A new voice interrupted, a rich, rumbling baritone that for no apparent reason made me shiver. "I'm on it, Shepard. We'll find you the primarch." The speaker walked up the ramp, a cocky swagger in his steps, a Mantis in his taloned hands.

I turned, taking in the scarred turian. His blue, rather battered armour gleamed, reflecting the fire-filled sky. His face was a mixture of the strange markings I'd noticed many turians wearing, and scars. Over his left eye, he wore a blue-tinted visor, seeming to scan us all in a second. I tried not to stare too hard.

_Jesus, looks like he took a rocket to the face or some shit. _

I was nudged aside by Shepard as she rushed forward. She gasped a little, her face lighting up. "Garrus!"

"Vakarian, sir-I didn't see you arrive ..." Corinthus interrupted, standing to attention.

The turian turned to the general, his mandibles shifting a little almost as if amused. "At ease, General."

Shepard stared up at him, watching the way the two men interacted, her face changing from excited to respectful. "Good to see you again. I thought you'd be on Palaven."

He shook his head, looking weary and angry at the same time. His subvocals purred, a mix of confidence and a little fear in his words. "If we lose this moon, we lose Palaven. I'm the closest damn thing we have to an expert on Reaper forces, so I'm advising."

Shepard turned, facing us. "Amiee, James, this is Garrus Vakarian. He helped me stop the Collectors. He's one hell of a soldier."

I blushed under the ice-blue stare. "New recruit, Shepard?" he asked, looking me up and down and earning a tiny, almost silent growl from Vega.

"We found her on Mars. She's a damn good shot," Vega said, standing beside me almost protectively.

_Damn it, Action Man, he's not trying to get laid in the middle of a fight, stop with the macho bullshit. _

"I'm sure she is, but I'll judge that for myself," Garrus said, winking at me.

I shook my head, once more baffled by boys and their strange ways. Nudging James, I gave him a little glare.

_Come on big guy, be nice to the turian. He won't bite ... I think. _

He seemed to take my hint, offering his hand to Garrus, who shook it and gave another mandible flutter. I think it was some kind of smile, but, I mean, what the hell do I know? He could be calling us all buttfaces or some shit.

"Lieutenant," Garrus greeted, before turning to Liara, a much warmer tone in his voice. "Good to see you too, Liara."

The asari broke her silence, moving forward into the already crowded space. "Good to see you in one piece, Garrus," she said. She smiled a little, her face darkening, clearly uncomfortable with us all looking at her.

Garrus turned to Shepard, getting back to the matter at hand. "General Corinthus filled me in. We know who we're after." He shifted, nodding to Corinthus.

The turian general moved back to his console, tapping away as he spoke. "Palaven Command tells me that the next Primarch is ... General Adrien Victus," he said, turning back to his console.

I had no idea who that was, so, a little bored, I wandered away. I was kind of listening, catching snippets, but to be honest, I had no idea what was going on. I mean, they were talking politics-something I always avoided-so yeah, not interested. A hand, twining with mine brought my attention around.

"What's up, big guy?" I asked James, noting his insecure expression.

He shifted, turning to face the Reaper in the distance. "I don't know, Muñeca. Just uneasy I guess," he said, his voice low and accent thickening. "Just thinking about Earth. Its like ..." He broke off, shaking his head.

"Tell me, Action Man," I coaxed, squeezing his hand. I heard Shepard say something, her voice rising a little, but ignored it, James taking precedence.

_Amiee, what. The. Fuck? You've gone and fallen for him. You stupid girl. _

He opened his mouth, about to speak, when a voice interrupted him. "Commander. Shepard, come in."

I turned, recognising the voice of the _Normandy's_pilot, watching as Shepard put her finger to her ear. "Can this wait, Joker? We're in the middle of a war zone."

The commander, Liara, and Garrus joined us outside the bunker, as Joker filled us in. "We've got a situation on the _Normandy_, Commander. It's like she's possessed, shutting down systems, powering up weapons," he said, his voice crackling for a second. "I can't find the source."

The team, plus Garrus, surrounded Shepard, listening to her talking with Joker. "I need the _Normandy_standing by; we may need to bug out," she said, looking at Liara.

Liara took the hint, instantly offering her help. "Should I go back and take a look?"

"Do it," she said, turning to face Garrus as Liara ran off, heading back to the ship. "Garrus, you said you were with Victus this morning?"

"Yeah, but we got separated. He went to bolster a flank that was breaking. Could be anywhere out there," the turian responded, his hand tightening on his Mantis.

Corinthus said something, but I didn't hear it, all I could hear was James. "Incoming Harvester, heading for the airfield!"

_Oh shit. Dragon thingy. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. _I began to fire, but my shotgun had no effect, being a short-ranged weapon. The turians reacted, taking up arms, and bullets tore through the air as the thing swept down towards us, it's huge wings battering us with gusts of wind.

"Move!" I screamed to James. I leaped toward him, desperate to give him cover. Instead of targeting him, it dropped its exploding gooballs onto the airfield, then banked hard and swept away, its wings in tatters from the turians' attacks.

Shepard turned to face Corinthus, her face hard. "General, tell Primarch Victus we'll rendezvous with him here." She took a breath, readjusting her gun in her hands. "In the meantime, let's go take care of whatever that thing dropped off." She grinned. "Coming, Garrus?"

Garrus reloaded, cockiness in every movement as he looked up, his eyes gleaming. "Are you kidding? I'm right behind you." He smiled-well, fluttered his mandibles a bit-and nodded.

Shepard glanced between me and James. "Amiee, stay with Garrus. James, you're with me."

_Wait, what? Uh ... no, I don't know this dude ... sending me off with strangers, bloody hell woman. _

"Lola, she's my responsibility, she should stay with me," James protested, his hand coming down heavy on my shoulder. "It's my job to protect her."

Garrus raised one of his plate things. "And you think I can't protect her?" he said, a slightly mocking tone in his voice.

"Not as well as I can," James replied, matching Garrus in height.

_Oh for fuck's sake. _If it wasn't for the fact my hands were full of a big gun, I would've face palmed. "Will you two shut the hell up? Jesus. I can look after my damn self," I snapped. "We're supposed to be on a bloody mission and you two tossers are being ... well, tossers."

Shepard intervened before I could slap them both, coming between the two men and growling. "You have your orders, now move out, or I'll smack the both of you down."

James and Garrus exchanged looks, before they each took a step back and nodded. "Sorry, Shepard," Garrus said.

"Yeah, sorry, Lola, Amiee," James apologized, brushing his fingers down my arm. I shrugged him off, taking my Viper off my shoulder and tucking the shotgun against my lower back.

I sighed, and Shepard mimicked my expression of discontent. "Okay, move out, we need to clear the airfield."

She took off, me close at her heels, my Viper in my arms, leaving the two idiots to follow behind. We skirted several bunkers and ran towards the only barricade we hadn't been through yet. "James, that you breathing so hard?" Shepard asked, glancing over her shoulder.

"No ... That's me," I said, panting. "I've never sprinted on a moon, don't hate."

"Atmosphere's a little thinner than you're used to, is all," James called as we jumped down into a crater. A couple of cover walls lined the crater, here and there, and several clips lay on the ground. "Adrenaline's better than oxygen any day."

_Yeah, tell that to my damn brain. Oh wait, you can't, cause it starved ... You know, without oxygen. Moron. _

"Amiee, Garrus, take the left flank. James, with me on the right," Shepard ordered, moving to cover behind a large boulder.

Garrus turned, pointing with his Mantis to another cluster on the left. "Get behind that selection of rocks."

Of course, my brain chose that moment to be a dick. _Over here, you'll see our upper tier selection of fine rocks. For the consumer looking for a less expensive rock, we have a wide selection of economy rocks. _

I grinned at the mental image. "It's not Marks and Spencer. Imagine the slogan. 'Come on down to Marks 'n' Sparks. We've got rocks to suit all your geological needs,'" I quipped, doing my best salesperson voice, before following his direction. I bit my lip, changing my mind. I needed to be able to see, and I wasn't tall enough to see over the boulder. Looking around, I tried to plot a decent sniping zone.

More splashes of fire rained down, dropped by the dragon things. "Is it just me, or do those Reapers look like turians?" James asked as he joined Shepard.

I tried to see while I moved, heading towards one of the barricades towards the left. I squatted down, using my scope to take in our new enemy. "You're right ... they do," I said, disgust turning my accent a little thicker. The creeper really did look like a turian, a pale, sick mockery, but still, I couldn't deny the resemblance.

The twisted mockery began to scream, a strange thrum of sound, and I resisted the urge to cover my ears. Husks swarmed, called by the creature, and the battle began. Garrus joined me, his Mantis ready, a hard expression on his face.

"We need to take that thing down first. Watch," he shouted over the sound of the screams. "It's got some sort of control over them." He lifted his rifle, took aim and fired.

Following suit, I unloaded my clip, making sure to brace for the Viper's recoil. The jolt knocked me back a little, and I cursed under my breath. Ignoring it, I fired again, watching Shepard and James out of the corner of my eye.

"Squeeze, don't jerk," Garrus coached. He growled, his Mantis raising again.

_Innuendoed ... God, I can do so much wit-Not the time, Amiee, behave. Just ... yeah. Don't. _

I focused, watching him for a second, before mimicking his posture, and gently squeezing the trigger. The turian thing fell, crumpling to the ground, a perfect hole in its head. "Did you do that?" I asked, shock in my tone.

"No, that was you. Well done. Now, see if you can do it again, on a moving target," he said pointing with his barrel at a cluster of husks moving towards us.

I nodded, a fierce smile spreading over my face as fire boiled through my veins. "I can do this," I whispered, twitching my Viper to the right to kill a husk heading towards Shepard, who was using a melee attack on another. James was throwing grenades, exploding husks all over the place.

I sighed, unable to help myself. _My Action Man. Damn. Cause, yeah, sighing over how badass he is in the middle of a fight ... you've got it bad, Amiee. _

"Use your scope, Amiee," Garrus said, making me growl. "And stop watching the Marine, he's fine. Focus."

"I was, dumbass."

He looked at me, his visor flashing as he let off a round without taking his eyes off me, his targets head splitting in two. "No, you were looking through it, but you weren't _using _it. Don't just focus on your target, see around it too."

I bent my head to my scope, trying to hone in on another husk, while trying to see around it too. I followed its progress, about to fire, when another turian came rolling into view. If I'd been focused on only my target, I would have missed the turian and probably have been shot. I twitched my barrel, firing three rounds, the first missing as it rolled again, but the second and third staggered it. Garrus finished it off, the cough of his weapon signaling the end of the creeper.

My shields crackled and sparked, bringing my attention around to another creeper. I ducked, trying to get out of its range and rolled behind a rock. I reloaded, bringing my Viper to bear and snarling as I fired, ignoring the rounds it sent towards me. Garrus flanked it, but it was James's frag grenade that killed it. I heard his chuckle, and an answering grin spread over my face.

"You're welcome, Scars," he said, throwing a clip my way. He'd either read my mind, or noticed my glance towards the clips in the centre of the crater.

"Scars?" Garrus questioned, moving to cover me while I reloaded.

"He ... nicknames people. At least you got one in English, I've got no idea what the hell, Muñeca, means."

"It means 'Doll,'" James informed me, using the comm now that he was beside Shepard. "Cause you're tiny, cute and-"

"If you say posable, I swear, the shit the Reapers are doin' ... you'll wish for that," I snapped, giving him a warning look.

"James! Stop flirting and kill something!" Shepard shouted, throwing a warp towards one of the turian things. "Carnage!"

The Marine attacked, a fiery red ball of flames smashing the husk back, and setting it on fire. We all unloaded our last rounds into it, ending the battle as a unit. We kept our weapons up, ready, listening for more attacks, but nothing came, no other sound but that of the Reaper in the distance, battling with the turian ships.

"I think we're done here," James said, moving to my side. "You did well, Muñeca." He smiled down at me, a soft expression of pride in his eyes.

"Thanks," I whispered, trying to fight the urge that rippled through me. I wanted to be in his arms, to just have him hold me for a second, stilling the shakes that wouldn't stop. Terror, anxiety and the adrenaline from the battle still had my body feeling over-sensitive and hyper-aware. "Jam-" I broke off, not wanting him to figure out how I felt.

"Back to the base," Shepard ordered, moving back towards the barricade we'd come through.

James stared into my eyes for a split second, heat and unspoken words lurking in the chocolate depths, before he blinked, washing them away. He turned, gesturing for me to follow him and moved towards the base.

"Shepard, come in," Corinthus called, jolting me into action.

I sprinted forward, glad no one had seen me mooning after James. I joined them, nodding to Garrus as he glanced at me, his eyes twinkling. _Not. A. Word. _He understood my silent warning, grinning a little and shaking his head.

"Go ahead," Shepard answered. She pounded over the lowered barricade, moving toward Corinthus's location.

"Still trying to raise the Primarch, but we've got trouble back here at the main barricade," he reported. "If the Reapers breach it, we're done."

She cursed, before pressing her fingers to her ear. "On my way."

_And, here we go again. _


	11. Hell's Message

We passed Corinthus, charging across the base towards the main barricade. Our boots kicked up dust as we ran, pounding towards the ladder at the end of the base. Shepard reached the ladder first, her gloved hands taking hold of the rungs as she pulled herself up. I followed, hauling myself after her until I reached the top.

"Amiee, get on the gun," she ordered, pointing towards the large turret in the centre of the wall.

"Wait, what? Why can't you do it?" I asked, terrified of the monstrous weapon.

She turned, glaring at me. "Get. On. The. Gun. Now," she snarled, taking position. Her biotics flared, coating her in a violet haze. "I'm using my biotics to keep them off the barricade, Garrus is a better sniper than you, and James has his carnage, so get on the gun and shut your damn mouth."

"Alright, alright. Jesus," I grumbled, taking the handles into my hands and pointing the barrel towards the cavern in front of us. The height made me pause, but I shook my head, pushing aside the vertigo as James and Garrus took position on either side of me.

"Here they come!" she shouted. Her biotics rippling as she pulled the energy up into her palms and launched it. The warp threw one of the husks back, sending it crashing into a wall, where it slumped down, dead on the floor. "Fire!" she screamed at me. "Don't let them get up here!"

_It's adventure time! _Ignoring my brains sarcasm, I nodded, pulling the dual trigger and wincing as the bullets began to fly. The turret nearly vibrated me off the platform, until I braced my legs, clutching the trigger mechanism for dear life. I swung it round, trying to aim the uncooperative machine. Judging by the husk that splintered apart, I succeeded.

_Fuck yeah, donkey! I totally got this shit. _

"Left," Garrus bellowed over the sound of the turret, directing me to a thick knot of husks. They started scrambling up the walls, screaming their terrible calls. I turned the turret, straining under its weight, squeezing the trigger and snarling as husk after husk plummeted, killed by my rounds spraying the walls.

"Muñeca, centre!" James shouted, throwing his frag grenades, before reloading.

"Jesus. Bloody. Christ. I have eyes dammit. I can frickin' see!" I screamed. "Shut the fuck up!"

I finished another cluster, before the gun emptied, making me curse. Precious seconds were wasted while I reloaded-after figuring out where the hell to put the heatsinks-giving the husks a chance to gain ground. "C'mon, c'mon," I muttered, squeezing the triggers once more. I blasted the husks on the barricade, driving them back, giving the others time to finish off the last few.

"Just picking them off. Maybe I can do three at a time. Wahoo!" My jarhead ... whatever he is, shouted. I grinned, watching as more fireballs fell, dropping husks. I found myself actually enjoying it, the thrill of the adrenaline coursing through my veins, setting me ablaze with energy.

Garrus landed a mid-mid air shot, killing one of the zombie things before it even landed. "Okay, come one, who's next?" he shouted, the same energy in his voice.

"They're on the barricade!"

Twisting around at Shepard's shout, I watched as she sent a shockwave along the ridge on her side of the wall, throwing husks for me and the boys to kill.

"Heads up, here comes another wave!"

My bullets left tiny lines of fire as I spun again, slamming the new wave with bullets, picking them off easily. James threw a grenade, killing as many I did. His shouts made me laugh. He sounded like he was having the time of his life. "Yeah! Like fish in a barrel!"

Garrus fought his way towards Shepard as a heapin' pile of husks charged. I began to panic. I'd not noticed the husks climbing the wall, too busy trying to clear the new wave. He took three, while she took two, and I cleared the last, trusting James to watch my back.

"What?" Garrus asked, turning to James.

"Old human saying. Like fish in a barrel," the marine explained, ducking down as a huge explosion shook us.

A fireball, bigger than any I'd seen so far landed, mere meters from us. As the flames dissipated, a huge creature came into view through the smoke. I froze, hearing James shouting questions, but I couldn't answer, fear disabled me. My body shook, ripples of fear slamming me as I met its malicious, metallic eyes. It stood, like a bear rearing in challenge, showing thick, ropy muscles, all laced with wiring. On the end of its arm, a huge claw, looking sharp enough to rip a person in two, slammed into the ground.

_What the hell is it? I ... oh god, we can't ... _I couldn't think past the icy fear in my chest. A lump of anxiety squeezing off my breathing. Its eyes left mine, focusing instead, on the platform I cowered behind.

It dropped down, its thick shoulders rolling as it charged, swinging its giant claw, hitting the barricade. The blow threw me, sending me tumbling to the ground. I landed a second later, air rushing from my chest as my body impacted, crushing rocks into my chest plate. Dazed, I tried to crawl, to move away from the beast, instinct driving me towards the rocks on my left.

It stood again, beating its chest, charging towards me. I wheezed, fighting for breath. I'd lost my Viper, but I still had my shotgun. Reaching behind me, I pulled the heavy gun, trying to unhook it, but my hands trembled so hard it made the task almost impossible.

Time slowed, and I faced my death, struggling to bring my weapon around in time to fight.

"Amiee!" James shouted, running forward to stand in front of me. He pulled his weapon up, pumping the beast full of bullets, giving me time to get up. "Move. Get to cover," he ordered, as the beasts head shook. It rounded on him, losing interest in me in favor of James.

I stood, pulling strength from some unknown well inside me, and yanked my shotgun off my back. Side by side, James and I plugged rounds into its face, driving it back so we could roll away, him diving left, me diving right as it charged, swinging its claw again.

It roared, the giant limb catching me and sending me flying. Pain seared up my hip. I rolled and staggered to my feet. Limping away, I joined Shepard and Garrus. James gave us a distraction, running around it, calling for its attention while we regrouped.

"Grenades," Shepard said, analyzing it as it spun, trying to catch James. "I'll use my lift grenades, Garrus, use proximity and your concussive shot. Amiee, keep blasting it with your shotgun, use cryo ammo, see if we can slow it down," she ordered. "James, frag!"

The Marine nodded, throwing two under its feet and diving towards us. We all took a side, surrounding it, all throwing our attacks over and over, weakening it. Sweat poured down my face as it turned, facing me again. "What? I smell like brute-nip or somethin'? C'mon fucker, play with me," I snarled, bringing my shotgun up. "You ugly fuck, C'mon now, don't be scared."

_Don't fucking taunt the thing, Amiee. It's gonna kill you, then what will ya do huh? Oh right, nothing ... cause you'll be dead. Now. Run! _

Following my own advice, I emptied my weapon, listening for Shepard. She'd been throwing orders, keeping us in formation, and I knew she needed a second's distraction; hence the taunting. Backing away, I reached the wall, realizing I had nowhere else to go. I could hear James and Garrus, calling my name, both hoarse from smoke and shouting, but it didn't matter, there was only one voice I needed right now.

_C'mon, Shep, before it smashes me into pulp. _I reached into my ammo belt, only to curse.I didn't have any clips left. _Oh, you dickhead. _I ground my teeth, as my hands searched my waist again, pausing over the hard lumps on my hips. I'd forgotten about my grenades.

"You're in for it now," I said, grinning. I knew I stood too close, but I had no choice, not now. It was this, or get pinned against the wall and eaten. I wanted to come up with some smart ass line, you know, something really badass, but my brain had blanked, preparing, I think, for the pain to come. I depressed the activation buttons, throwing my last two grenades under its bloody stomach. Closing my eyes, the last I heard was its brutal roar, followed by the sound of the explosion ... Then ... silence.

* * *

"Amiee. Amiee, wake up. C'mon, baby, open your eyes for me."

The words reached me through the foggy haze in my head, the voice comforting, pulling me from the dark. I tried to open my eyes, to move, to ... breathe, but pain ripped through my chest.

"Just hold on, let the meds work," James whispered, running gentle fingers over my face. "Damn, woman, don't scare me like that again. Okay?"

The fear, vulnerability and tint of anger in his tone brought my eyes snapping open. _I'm not dead?_I met his dark eyes, tracing his face, taking in his pinched features. "I'm not dead?"

He smiled, cupping my chin and kissing me softly. "No, you're definitely not dead," he whispered against my lips. "But, you're gonna be in pain for a while."

_No shit, Sherlock. _Without expressing the retort my spazzy brain came up with, I sat up. _Oh. My. Fuck. _I groaned, unable to help the ragged sound. Whatever meds I'd been given hadn't worked as much as I'd like, and I could feel the bones of my ribs grinding. "I'm guessing I cracked a rib or two?" I gasped.

He wrapped his arm around me, lifting me, infinite care in each movement. "More than one. So. No more fightin' Brutes. Kay?" he whispered, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

"Kay," I answered, as he stood, helping me to my feet. "I can fight?" I asked, gently pressing my hand to my ribs. I could feel them throbbing, but the pain wouldn't disable me. I mean, yeah, it would bloody hurt, but I could move, and fight. I just hoped, no, prayed, there wasn't more to this mission.

"Don't need to. The commander and Scars went ahead. I've gotta look after you," he said, wrapping his arm around me and helping me limp towards the ladder to get back to the base. "We'll be going back to the _Normandy." _He boosted me up, using his considerable size and strength to lift me half way up the ladder.

I didn't complain about his hands on my butt, one, cause yeah, it's James, and two, I really needed the lift. I ached, my whole body feeling as if it'd been seared by molten lava. I bit my lip, trying not to make any sudden movements as I climbed. Reaching the lip, I pulled myself over, scrambling to my knees and staggering to my feet. I watched James's head appear, admiring the ease in his movements.

"C'mon, let's get to the shuttle," I sighed, once we'd gotten off the platform. The base was a mess, turians running around, barking orders, checking crates and handing out weapons, but we ignored it. I took James's hand, needing the comfort of the contact. I worried about Shepard and Garrus, but I knew I was in no state to fight. "James ... she'll be okay, right?"

He looked down at me as we passed the barricade, heading to the shuttle. I felt odd, almost bereft, leaving my commander behind, but I couldn't fight the screams of my body. "She'll be fine, she's the commander. Don't worry, Muñeca."

Nodding my head, I let him lift me into the shuttle, not complaining as he sat me down, his hand stroking my hair for a second. He moved to the pilots area and sat down. The pilot-Cortez, I think-nodded, and the two filled each other in on the mission and Shepard's location.

I don't even remember the journey back to the_Normandy, _I just sat there, letting the adrenaline fade from my system, leaving me exhausted. I heard them talking, something about EDI the ship's AI. I didn't really know much about her to be honest, I mean, talking to aliens freaked me out enough, I didn't need to be talking to human-voiced ... things. Ugh, no, that ... yeah, too much even for me.

"You okay back there, Amiee?" Cortez called, as we docked with the ship. He turned in his seat, smiling at me. "You look like you've taken a beating. James said you took on a brute?"

I looked at him, my eyes half mast. "I'm just glad it didn't try 'n' eat me or some shit," I said, tilting my lips in what I hoped was a smile, rather than a grimace. _Crap, now I'm hurtin'. _Now the adrenalin left my body, I could feel every single broken bone, and knew I wouldn't be able to stand again unaided. "Hey, Action Man. Wanna help a girl out?"

James grinned, moving from the front of the shuttle and scooping me up into his arms princess style. "Your carriage awaits, Muñeca. You never know, if you're lucky, you can ride me later too," he whispered, bending to nuzzle my hair.

I winced as the action compressed my aching ribs.

"Maybe after you've seen the doc," he said, frowning.

I nodded, resting my head on the hard plating of his armor, the cool metal soothing my slightly charred skin. I listened to him breathe as he carried me, my arms around his neck. Even the long elevator ride passed without me threatening to blow it up out of boredom. I didn't care that people were looking; I hurt too bad, and needed drugs, stat.

"Ah, Amiee. Shepard called ahead, I've been expecting you," Doctor Chakwas said as we entered the medbay. The graying, motherly woman beamed at us, turning in her chair to get a better look. "Well, it certainly does looks like you've been playing with Shepard."

I cocked my head as James sat me on the bed and began removing my armour. "James, I can do that," I protested, pushing his hands away. I mean, its not like he'd not seen me undressed before, but in front of Chakwas? Yeah, lil' awkward.

The doctor tutted, her hands on her hips. "James, please wait outside. I've been patching Shepard up long enough to know how to remove armour," she said, a teasing glare on her face. "Go. Shoo, I'll call you when she's decent." She made little shooing gestures and I grinned as the huge warrior left like a scolded child.

_Honestly, he puts sad puppies to shame. _

I shook my head, waiting until the door slid shut behind him before turning to Chakwas. "So, what's up doc?" I asked, wondering if the reference meant anything to her. When she didn't respond, I sighed. _Don't give up, you'll get them to recognize somethin' soon._I don't know why I bothered really, I mean, what did it matter if they knew about Bugs Bunny, Doctor Who or Dragonage?

"Let's get that off you, then I'll do a quick blood test. The results won't take long. You can have a rest before I check on your ribs, then we'll see what we can do about those burns," she said, her voice warm and gentle. She helped me remove the armour, that by now felt like it weighed three tons. Under the metal, I wore my undersuit, which she helped me wriggle out of before setting it aside. Once I was naked, blushing and wincing, she handed me a gown, which I slipped on.

I sat on the bed, watching her. "So, how do you need me?" I asked. I shuffled back, pulling my legs up and lay back against the pillows. I wanted to find out if Shepard had gotten back with the Primarch.

"Hmm. If you're anything like Jane, I'd say not long. I can never get her to be still," she said, chuckling. "Now, wait there." After giving me a stern look, the graying doctor left me to my own devices while she hurried off to do ... well, doctory things, I guess.

Glancing around, I quickly grew bored. _You'd think they'd have somethin' to look at in here. _Lifting my omni-tool, I activated it, and frowned. _Who the hell's messaging me? _

"Ah, here we are," Chakwas said, more to herself than me. She muttered a little more, rustling around, gathering supplies, but I didn't hear the doctors words. I stared at my omni-tool.

System Message. 

_Username: Lady K. _

_We regret to inform you that there has been a critical error in the exit subroutines for Mass Effect 3 Online. We are unable to manually disconnect you at this time, due to the risk to your health. Emergency Personnel have been notified, and are working with our technicians to fix the error and disconnect you safely. Your health is our first priority, so you have been moved to a hospital where specialists are giving you, and others trapped within the game, the very best of care. Your family have been notified, and arrangements have been made for your son. _

_At this point in time, we have been unable to determine the effects of death in the game. Players are advised to execute extreme caution in navigating the game world until more information can be obtained. _

_We believe that the final exit protocols are still in working order, so completion of the game will exit you from the system. We are terribly sorry for the oversight of this error, and we doing everything we can to return you safely. Further updates on the status of correcting this error will sent as we have them. _

_Be Safe. _

_Sincerely, _

_Bioware Community Team._

I read the message, over and over, my breathing becoming agonising, as my breath sawed through my lips. My ribs protested, and my eyes blurred.

"No. Please, God, no." My words were a plea, helpless, broken and swollen with tears. After the third time, I broke down, unable to quell the sobs ripping from my throat. Pressing the exit button, I received nothing more than a little beep and an error message.

"Please. Please. I have to go back." I wept, tears streaking down my face as my hand dropped. Ragged holes ripped into my heart, images of my sons face burning through my mind. I began to scream. Panic filled me, and my voice broke as I choked on it. I suffocated, unable to breathe, gasping and breaking.

Hands reached me, hot against my icy skin. A sharp pain hit me in the side of the neck, and soothing words were breathed into my ear. A hazy shroud fell over my body and my screams died. With no air left in my body, I wept.

I tucked myself into a ball, trying to hold myself together. My body didn't feel like my own, numbness spreading over my limbs. I almost begged for it to spread to my chest, to block out the ache, but no mercy would come. I felt every single slice, every single tear as I heard his voice, saw his eyes, felt his skin under my fingers.

_Would I ever see him again? Would I ever be able to hold him in my arms? Stroke his cheek, kiss his soft forehead? _The questions swirled, pummeling me, battering down any defence I had left._Will he be okay? Who's gonna tuck him in? Will they remember to give him Larry? He can't ... he can't sleep without his Larry. Take me back, please, someone, just ... take me back. He needs me, he needs his mummy. Please..._

I heard voices, murmuring my name my name, asking if I was okay, but I couldn't answer. I had no words, no way to express the crushing weight of my pain. James's gentle hands cupped my face, his voice whispering words of comfort. With no way home, dark sorrow washed me away, the arms holding me as insignificant as the world: my prison.


	12. Blackest Hell

Voices had been shouting in the hall for hours, but they didn't matter. Nothing mattered. I didn't want to hear them, I just wanted them to shut up. To stop saying things, to stop breaking the silence. I needed the silence. In this prison, the silence remained the only thing I had a hope in hell of controlling.

"It's been three days!"

_Shut up. _

"Just leave her alone, Lola!"

_Shut up. Shut up. _

"I am your commanding officer, move the hell out of my way!"

_Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. _

"No!"

"Shut up!" The words left me, the first spoken in three dark days. My scream sounded ragged, and broken, but I didn't care, I just wanted the silence back. I'd sat up, glaring at the door. My lip curled in a snarl.

"Muñeca," James whispered, as the door opened, almost as if he didn't believe I'd spoken.

I lay back down, dismissing him, staring once more at the white ceiling. I began to count, endlessly counting. Panel after panel, rivet after rivet, light after light. A cycle, beginning from right above my head, sweeping across the ceiling, and back again. I didn't want to think, to feel, to remember, so I counted. My eyes tracked the grooves between the panels, following the sleek contours of the room.

"Amiee, please, look at me," he murmured, his voice swollen with pain. His warm hand took hold of my icy fingers. "Please." The pleading tone in his voice should have reached me, but it didn't, it just bounced off my pain. I didn't want his words, I wanted my son in my arms, where he belonged.

Shepard entered, blocking my view of the panels. "You need to eat, it's been three days."

I rolled my head to the side, counting the lights on the walls instead. "What's the point?" It wasn't really a question, more rhetorical than anything. I already knew the answer. There wasn't a point. I counted, ignoring the worried looks, the soft discussion, the beeping of machines. Nothing mattered.

"Tell me what to do, Muñeca," he pleaded, his dark eyes full of pain. "Just, tell me what's wrong."

I shook my head, rolling onto my side, counting the threads of the thin blanket I lay on. _What does hiding matter now? May as well tell them, it's not like it can get any worse. _ "I'm not from this universe," I whispered, my nail scraping the fabric. "This." I waved my arm. "Everything that's happening to you all, it's all a game, a virtual game. I bought it, turned on and plugged myself in, it's not real." I broke off, a tear trailing down my cheek. "None of this is real. And I can't get out."

"A game? Amiee, maybe you should rest. It's probably ... shock, or somethin'," James said, his voice full of pity and concern.

I rolled, and sat up. I didn't want his damn pity, I wanted to go home. "You think I'm crazy? You think I'd make this shit up? Fucking look, James!" I shouted. Lifting my omni-tool, I showed him the message. "Look, see what I'm saying is true." My anger, quick to come, faded, withering away into nothing once more. I sighed, bringing up my knees and wrapping my arm around them.

Shepard stayed silent, her finger pressed over her lips as she read the message still displayed on my device. "Liara, come down to medbay," she ordered over the ships comm, her voice low and cautious.

We waited in silence, time stretching on and on, becoming almost unbearable. I thought about saying something, explaining, but I knew Shepard wouldn't believe me, not without some kind of proof. Even the message on my omni-tool wouldn't be enough for Shepard.

The asari joined us after what seemed like forever, her face almost expressionless. "Shepard, you needed me?" she asked, her voice soft and calm.

The commander didn't waste any time, turning to face Liara. "I need you to meld with, Amiee."

"Meld with her? Why?" Liara asked, curiosity creasing her face.

I ducked my head as Shepard waved her hand in my direction. "I want you to tell me if she's telling the truth, or if she's indoctrinated. She could just be insane, I don't know, but I want you to find out."

Liara nodded, moving towards me and cupping my face. "This won't hurt you, but you will feel me enter your mind. Are you ready?" Her eyes darkened from violet blue, to a deep, obsidian black.

"I ... guess so?"

"Then, embrace eternity."

Everything went black, the room fading, James and Shepard vanishing from existence and my body becoming nothing but a heavy tether for my mind. I could feel her, a vast entity in my mind. I wanted to shrink back from it, but I couldn't. _Liara?_

_Amiee. Remain calm. I am here. If you visualize, you will be able to see me. _Liara's voice swept through my mind, like autumn leaves, brushing against me, oddly comforting even as strange as it felt.

_I ... can do that. _I pictured her, tentacles and all, standing in front of me. I don't think I quite got the visuals right, being that she had slightly deeper blue skin, and seemed to be taller than I knew she was. _Kinda got it._

_You did well. Now, I am going to explore your memories, is this all right? _

_Sure ... Why the hell not? _I couldn't imagine how she'd see my memories, but she seemed to think she could, so I figured, if it meant getting home sooner, then I might as well roll with it. _Go for it, blue lady. _

Her mind swirled around me, and I lost focus. Her form blurred, crumpling like grains of sand scattered in the wind. Images, hundreds of them, were dragged into view. Kye, when he was born, his skin so soft and warm against my lips as I pressed a kiss to his head. My ex, kneeling in front of me, kissing my swollen stomach, talking to his son as he slumbered in my womb. My sister Amber's voice, telling me that she loved me, and that I'd be okay. Tager, Nadian, Rev, Kim, Pie, and Micah, fondly know as Yogurt. All of the people I'd grown close to in my world, all voices that comforted me. I wanted to hear them again. I wanted to go home.

Home. Thinking about it must have triggered the memories, because I saw my house, with its familiar blue door, red brickwork and lush green gardens. Liara focused on that, tugging me inside, showing me the Xbox in my living room. Her hand, spectral and insubstantial, brushed the console, touching upon the disk labeled Mass Effect Three Online. I could feel her, and knew her emotions as she knew mine.

_It is true, isn't it? You are not from our world. Come, we are finished. I believe you. We must tell Shepard. _

Her mind left mine, as suddenly as a branch snapped in a storm, and I slumped back against the bed. "Ow. Crap, that bloody hurts," I groaned, holding my head.

"Apologies. I should have been a little softer," Liara said, her face pale. "I ..." She turned to Shepard, who was watching us. "What she says is true. She is in this world as an avatar. She is ... trapped, within our world."

Shepard looked at me, shock and confusion on her face. "I need to think about all of this, but right now, I need to know something." She stopped, her face softening. "How do we get you home?"

"We have to defeat the Reapers," I whispered, knowing the task would be impossible. "I have to complete the game."

She looked at me for a long moment, analyzing my face. "Then it's a good thing we want the same thing. Get up, stop wallowing. If you wanna go home, you've got to help us," she said, planting her hands on her hips. She stared into my eyes, almost challenging me.

"This is loco," James said, looking between us. He sat down, his hands raking over his mohawk, his thick shoulders bunching under his grey t-shirt. "So all this ... between us. It was all a game to you?" he asked, pain darkening his tone.

I blinked, shocked. "No. How can you even ask that, James?" I asked, reaching out, only to stop. "It was ... at first, but I fell for you. I couldn't help it." I swallowed, pulling my hand back. "But I have to find my way home. I have to get to my son. I ... love you, but he needs me."

I pleaded with him, trying to show him through my eyes how much I needed my son. I thought, after several tense seconds, that he wouldn't want me, wouldn't love me back, that he wouldn't give me a chance. I moved my hand back further, letting it drop to the bed.

_Please, Action Man. Don't make me do this without you. _

James caught my hand, and I could see the understanding and love in his eyes. "You said he was lost," he murmured. "I won't let you lose him for real, Muñeca." He kissed my palm, as if sealing his vow. "We'll all help you, but you have to get up. We need more information, so we can help, okay?"

"Kay," I agreed, swinging my legs off the bed. I staggered when the cold floor met my feet, and I almost fell into James's arms, which were waiting to catch me. "What do you need to know?" I asked as he steadied me, keeping one arm around my waist. I didn't fight the urge to sink into his side.

"Everything. Where you come from, the time you're from and what you know about this war," Shepard said, leaning her hip against the edge of the bed.

"Shepard. May I leave? I have some more research I would like to complete before we land on Eden Prime," Liara asked before I could answer.

Shepard nodded. "Of course, Liara. I'll radio you when we're ready to land." She turned back to me. "Go on," she prompted, as Liara left the room.

I swallowed, drawing strength from James. "I come from Earth, England. My time, is the 21st century. It's 2013 there." I bit my lip. "I didn't play the first two games, just selected the choices you made. The ones about the Collector base, the Ratchni, that kind of thing."

"Rachni," she corrected. "Yeah, we let her go. So, you jumped right in, and don't know anything that can help." She thought for a second, before a slow smile spread on her face. "It doesn't matter, we'll just have to do as we always do and wing it."

I returned her smile, mine more hesitant but still, I tried. "Thank you." My heart eased a little, the band of agony loosening just enough to let me breathe. I felt a spark of hope, deep in my heart, a light that filled me; Shepard's strength filled me, and I trembled at the force of it.

Her smokey eyes met mine, and James's hand tightened on my hip. "We save people, it's what we do. Aside from that, you'll be useful."

I blinked, cowering into James. "Shepard, I don't know how much use I'll be. I ... All I can think about is Kye," I whispered. Saying his name ripped a fresh slice into my chest, threatening to pull me back into an emotional coma.

James bent his dark head. "Don't," he whispered, his lips grazing my skin. "You're stronger than that, and when you aren't, I'll be there to pull you out. I promise." He pressed a kiss to the skin under my ear, before he spoke the words I needed to hear. "Cause, I love you too."

I took a deep breath, pulling myself up, squaring my shoulders. His words warmed me, centered me, brought me back from the darkness. "Okay, I'll do it," I said to shepard, earning a nod of respect. "Now, I need a shower, some food, and ..." I looked down at the hospital gown. "Some clothes would be good too." I didn't remember putting this on, but feeling the cool breeze on my back brought a flush to my face, and I was glad James stood beside me and not behind.

Shepard grinned, reading the blush that crept up my face. She let a little chuckle escape, and moved to a cupboard. A pair of black pants came flying at me, followed by a black tanktop and some underwear.

"Uh ... Privacy?" I looked for a curtain to dress behind, but didn't see one, and there was no way I was dressing in front of that window. _Okay, time to do this the old fashioned way. _"Turn round."

Shepard did as she was told, but James winked, a heated look in his eyes. _Oh no. Not happening, Action Man. _I twizzled my finger in the air, my eyebrow raised. He sighed, a look of pure masculine frustration on his face, and turned. After watching his back for a second, I began to dress.

Having danced for years, I'd become used to dressing in tight, crowded dressing rooms, trying to keep everyone from getting an eyeful during costume changes. Ignoring the fresh wave of heat on my cheeks, I shimmied into my clothes, keeping the gown over me until I finished.

Dropping the gown onto the bed, I smoothed my hands over my ribs and stomach. My body still twinged but not as bad as I'd expected. I mean, cracked ribs ... should take longer, right?

_Space magic? Well, that's a plus I guess. _

"Okay, I'm ready," I said, my voice hesitant. "What now?"

"Now, we go to Eden Prime. We got a message from Alliance Command. Cerberus are attacking, and we need to figure out why," Shepard said, flicking her fringe from her

face. "Suit up, I need you on the ground team. I'm taking you, Liara and Garrus."

I nodded, seeing she was done talking to me now. Her soldier personality had taken over. We had a mission, and personal feelings had no place here for her. I smiled at James, letting him take my hand and lead me from the room.

"I know you'll be leaving, to go home, to Kye," James said softly, stopping me in front of the elevator. "But, I wanna say this, okay? No matter how long we have, I wanna spend it with you; I wanna be able to love you, Muñeca." His lips met mine, stopping any words I could've spoken.

My arms wrapped around his shoulders, fingers burying themselves in the short hair at the back of his neck, and I sighed against his lips. "James," I murmured, before letting his tongue slide over mine, his hands cupping my face.

Heat seared through me, followed by hope, tinged with pain, but full of desperation. I wouldn't have a life with him, but whatever time I had in this game, each second would be his. He pulled me against his chest, our hearts hammering, our breath mingling. He nipped my lip, groaning as my hands kneaded his shoulders, his hands leaving my face to wander down my back, resting at the base of my spine.

"Amiee," he whispered back. His voice lowered, becoming almost a purr of desire as his lips grazed soft kisses down my neck. His big body shivered, his tongue lapping at my skin. His hands cupped my rear, pulling me tighter against his body. His muscles met with my soft curves, two opposites burning with one, identical need.

I lost myself in him, silent but for the soft breaths whispering from me. I knew only three words, three words to show him how much I needed him.

I broke the kiss, my lips tingling. "I love you." Such simple words, to describe the intensity of what I felt, but I had no others.

He stared down into my eyes, his full of love and need. "I love you too, my Muñeca. Be safe, I'll be watching through Shepard's helmet cam."


	13. Eden's Hell

"I'm bringing you in as close to the dig site as I can," Cortez shouted as we left the shuttle. "No way we'll avoid detection, but you should have a few minutes."

"Understood." Shepard turned to us as the door of the shuttle opened. "Alright everyone, get ready to move." She jumped, landing a split second later and calling for us to jump. Garrus and Liara followed, leaving me alone.

I took a deep breath, and leapt from the shuttle. My boots hit the ground, my legs bending, absorbing the impact and my hair ruffled as Cortez took off. I tensed, waiting, my shields on full, searching the area for enemies that didn't come.

"With luck, we can get to the dig site before Cerberus knows we're here," Liara said, coming to stand beside me.

The planet lay, spread out in a beautiful vista in front of us. Lush green hills, crystal blue sky, and winding rivers leading to small lakes dotting the countryside made me think of home. I swallowed back the wave of homesickness, meeting first Shepard's gray eyes, then Liara's violet and lastly Garrus's ice-blue ones. We nodded to one another, our weapons in hand. I'd decided to use the Scimitar, keeping my Viper on my back for now.

"This was a beautiful colony once," Shepard said, her voice low as she led us towards a large cluster of white, metal buildings.

"It survived Saren. It can survive this," Garrus replied, the sub-vocals in his tone rumbling in a strangely reassuring way.

She didn't answer for a moment. "I grew up on ships. Lose one, you can always move to another," she said softly. She shrugged, before taking off, leading us down the path towards the buildings, following the man-made walkway until we reached them.

"But you'd still remember," Liara pointed out, as we entered the first building. No one said anything else as we looked around. We fanned out, checking data-pads, picking up spare ammo, and searching for survivors. I watched the others for a second, trying to push my mind past the fact that this had been an inhabited colony, that everyone here had scattered, or been killed.

My hand brushed along the top of a unit, pushing aside papers and debris. A faint orange glow caught my eye, and I picked up the datapad that lay hidden under a pile of rubbish. "Shepard?" I called out, reading the data, but not really understanding. "Take a look at this, seems important."

She walked over, Liara in tow. "Huh, looks like-" She paused, frowning. "This data could help the colonists still alive on other parts of Eden Prime." A smile, the first I'd seen in a while, flashed over her face.

Answering grins spread across all our faces. Some good news, something that would save lives. Liara began tapping on her omni-tool. "If I can get this data to Eden Primes resistance, maybe it will help them fight back against Cerberus."

"We should look for more," Garrus said, leading the way out of the building, and into the bright sun. We crossed the dry ground, kicking up dust as we walked, all of us turning occasionally to watch ours and each others backs.

Liara shouted, calling our attention forward, away from the perimeter. "There! That's the elevator that leads down into the dig site." Excitement thrummed in her voice, and for the first time, I could hear some passion from her.

We crowded around the console, the two women facing it, consulting one another, with me and Garrus watching their backs. I could hear them whispering, but something else kept catching my attention. "Hear that?" I asked the turian, my voice barely a murmur.

"Yeah, sounds like a shu-"

Liara's startled gasp broke him off. "Goddess ... that doesn't seem possible."

We turned, watching out of the corner of our eyes as the two moved to the now raised elevator pad. On top of it, lay what could only be described as a coffin. Long, blackish-brown, shaped exactly right for a body.

The asari rushed forward, excitement in her tone. Her hands trembled, and her eyes sparkled. "It's not a prothean artifact, it's ..." She broke off, staring at the box. "It's a prothean, a living prothean."

Garrus let out a low growl, bringing my attention to him. "Like the Collectors? Or those bodies we found back on Ilos?" he asked, moving closer.

"Ilos?" I asked Shepard quietly.

She glanced at me, her eyes alight with memories. "I'll tell you about it when we're done here. I'll have to fill you in on everything that's happened so far."

I nodded, turning back to Liara. She started speaking again, waving her omni-tool over the box. "Like the bodies we found on Ilos, but this one is alive."

Garrus and Shepard exchanged looks. "You're right, that doesn't seem possible," Shepard said, a frown furrowing her brow.

I heard another noise, louder this time, and recognized it as the sound of an incoming shuttle. Looking around, I frowned, scanning the horizon. I couldn't see anything, but something niggled at me, making me tense and clutch my shotgun tighter. "I'm going to switch to my sniper, Garrus. Something's putting me on edge," I told the turian, switching weapons.

The Viper felt good in my hands, elongating at the press of a button on its side. I lifted it to my eye, using my scope to sweep the area. Garrus followed suit while the two women talked. We stood, legs braced, back to back, covering them. I over heard Liara say something about the lifesigns being unstable, and Shepard say something about getting the pod open and was about to ask how, when a shuttle swept over the buildings.

"Oh shit. Shepard!" I shouted at the same time as Garrus. Liara and Shepard joined us, and we split into two teams. Garrus and Liara moved to the left, covering behind a low wall and I moved to the right with Shepard.

The shuttle flew over us, blasting us with wind, before moving to safety and dropping several soldiers. I recognized them as Cerberus; the gold and white armour wasn't exactly subtle after all. I braced my Viper against the wall, watching from the corner of my eye as Shepard began to glow blue. I could feel the electric-like biotics crackling, making the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.

"Protect the pod!" she shouted, throwing a warp at the first soldier to charge towards us.

He didn't fall, his armor protecting him, so I finished him off, firing two rounds into his chest. I pushed down the revulsion, not letting it disable me this time. It wasn't like Palaven, where the things I killed were monsters. These were men, human and real looking. I spun, dodging a round that cracked into the crate where I'd just been. Growling, I lifted my Viper again, killing him before rolling behind another crate.

"Amiee, on the roof. Garrus, to the left. Liara, singularity!" Shepard commanded into the comms unit. She threw another warp, followed by several rounds, giving us a second to find our positions.

I reloaded before popping up, and homing in on the roof the shuttle had landed over. I spotted a dark, lean figure. I targeted her, flinching as her own scope turned to me and a long red laser-light met my chest.

_Shit. Cheating bitch, who the hell uses a laser? _

I growled again, rolling to the left out of her sight before coming to one knee out of cover and firing. My shoulder once again took the brunt of the recoil, the only part of me that moved at all. My finger squeezed the trigger, not jerking as I'd done before, but long, slow pulls, that had my rounds spinning off smoothly.

"Av it, Bitch," I whispered, my accent thickening due to the adrenalin coursing through me. My target staggered back, her movements erratic as she tried to find cover. "Oh no, stay the fuck there." I fired again, sending three more rounds towards her.

I didn't have time to watch her die, four soldiers had burst from their cover, running towards me, their assault rifles discharging. My shield crackled, lightning flashes sending my vision blurry. The impact sent me staggering back, and I turned, trying to escape.

"Amiee!"

Liara flew towards me, her lean body streaking across the space between us like a bullet from a gun. She skidded to a halt in front of me, throwing up her hands and coating us both in a huge, blue bubble. She waited for me to stand, and switch to my shotgun, before nodding. The biotic field she'd created exploded outward, sending the soldiers flying back. The cough of my shotgun, followed by her warps signalled the end of the fighting. Bodies littered the ground around us, blood and smoke misting the air. I closed my eyes, shutting it out.

"Are you hurt?" Liara asked, her hands running over my arms. She scanned me, concern I didn't understand in her eyes.

I blinked, before nodding. "I'm okay. I'm not hurt, " I said, trying to reassure her. "Thank you, for saving me." I smiled.

She smiled back, a look of tentative friendship colouring her features. "Your son is beautiful, and he needs his mother. No child should be without their mother."

It clicked then. _She saw my memories, she knows Kye, she knows ... everything. _I met her blue eyes, and reached to squeeze her hand. "Thank you."

Shepard and Garrus joined us, both picking up discarded heatsinks. "Alright. Lets get moving, before more of them come back," Shepard said, nodding to us all. "Through here." She pointed to another building. "Keep an eye out for any more data that can help the resistance."

I braced my shotgun, holding it close to my body while I reloaded, before following her. Liara had my six, walking close behind me, keeping me safe. The thought of her being protective made me grin. I wondered how old she was, I mean, she didn't look that much older than me, but something about how she spoke, the depth of her words and voice led me to believe she was older.

Entering another building, I began to search, checking every nook and cranny for datapads, or terminals that might contain useful information. I had no bloody clue what to look for. I'd gotten lucky last time, and now, it was Garrus's turn.

"Shepard. More info for the resistance," he called from across the room. His omni-tool glowed as he sent the info packet off. He looked at me, and his mandibles fluttered.

I tried to read the expression. I failed. Miserably. _Damn aliens, with their stupid faces that do stupid things. I mean, how the hell am I supposed to interpret that? What's wrong with a damn smile? _

"Look, there's the lab," Liara shouted from the doorway, pointing with her pistol. We joined her at the door, watching for attack.

"Go," Shepard ordered, her weapon still drawn. She left the room we were in, crossing the empty courtyard-like area. She pressed her omni-tool to the door Liara had pointed out, and the red locking symbol glowed green after several long seconds. She stood, tense and wary, waiting for attack. When none came, she signaled for us to follow.

I ran across, my heart pounding in my chest as nerves knotted my stomach. Something felt ... off. I knew I wasn't the only one feeling the stillness in the air, or the slight electricity that seemed to be swirling around us, standing the hair on the backs of our-I looked at Liara and Garrus-Well, the hair on the back of us humans necks anyway. We slipped into the lab, closing and locking the door behind us.

_Jesus. Spooky much? What is with this game and all the creepy shit? Why the hell am I even here? I mean, James would be sooo much better than me. _

We took a second to blink and let our eyes adjust. After the bright sun outside, the dim lab seemed almost pitch black at first. The only illumination in the room came from the various screens and consoles lining the walls. Shepard reached the main console first, activating it.

I moved forward, curious by the images displayed on the screen. I had to blink, my stomach chenched at the sight in front of me. Reapers, destroying cities, burning worlds, killing millions. I watched a soldier give commands, confidence and rage in his voice. He looked nothing like any of the races I'd seen: Four eyes looked back at me from the screen, a large, triangular head, dark brownish-red in colour and thick, burgundy armor that covered his body. It was his voice that truly captured me. Deep, brisk and dual toned, seeking the darkest pits of my soul, bringing sorrow I never knew I had to the surface, making me want to weep.

I listened to him ordering his people, trying to save them, watching as he fought, green biotics flaring. He looked fearsome, a warrior like the ones I'd read in stories, fighting an unwinnable war, never giving up no matter the odds. The scene ended, and I let go of the gasp I'd been holding without realizing. My chest burned, and my hands shook. Beside me, Shepard sagged, a huff of breath leaving her too.

"What the hell was that?" I asked. My hands trembled, and my voice shook. _Is that what's gonna happen? To us? A last resistance, fighting to save a few? Or are we already the last resistance? _I swallowed, pushing aside the horror of what I'd seen, refusing to bow to the Reapers call.

"You both understood that?" Liara asked, her voice full of awe, confusion and a slight tint of jealousy.

I nodded. "You didn't?" I felt a little glad that she hadn't. No one should have to see that, to see a lost civilisation fall. It felt like watching the Mayans, or the Aztecs. History lessons flashed through my mind. Civilisations that had once been great falling, fading into the sands of time ... The myth of Atlantis came to mind. The Protheans were the atlanteans of Mass Effect. _But why did I see it? Maybe the game thinks I need to or somthing? _

Liara shook her head and shuffled from foot to foot, turning back to the console. She started to click away on the interfaces, a frown on her brow as she scanned the information.

I turned to Shepard. "So, that was the ... thingy? That we need?" I asked, watching her eyes sparkle. The effect of whatever we'd just seen made them glow a strange green, contrasting with her normal dove gray. I wondered if my eyes had done the same thing. "Why did I understand it?"

"I think, because it's a game, it's likely set so you get the Cypher. We've got what we need, this can be dealt with later," she said, gripping her weapon and gesturing for us to leave. We slipped from the lab, following closely behind her.

"Shep-" Garrus started to say, before being broken off by a low, mechanical whine.

Bullets tore into the walls around us, sending us diving for cover. "Shit, turrets! Take them out!" Shepard screamed, popping her head up only to duck down as a round slammed into the wall where her hand had been.

"May have a problem with that, Shepard," I groaned. I moved my hand from my hip, showing her my bloody palm.

"Amiee's been hit!"


	14. Bloody Hell

The sky wavered, my eyes unfocused, and I blinked as Shepard moved into view. Her grey eyes met mine, and she began to call orders I couldn't understand. I tried to focus on her face, but pain paralyzed me and numbed my mind. Warm, sticky rivulets of blood slithered between my skin and the textured undersuit, the sensation making my skin crawl.

Shepard moved closer, peering into my eyes. "How bad is it?" she asked, examining me.

"Slap some medi-gel on it," I whispered, repeating the words from Palaven. I tried to cover the wound again, to put pressure on it, but she slapped my hands away and slathered the wound with the thick orange paste.

"Your suit should keep dispersing the gel, just stay still till we take the turret out," she ordered. "Liara, with me. Garrus, look after Amiee. Get her up and moving. We're ending this. Now."

Liara passed me, shooting a concerned look my way as they half crouched, half ran along the wall we covered behind. Garrus knelt beside me, one hand on my shoulder, the other pressing something against my neck. A sharp pain jolted me and fire raced through my veins, numbing my wound and galvanising me.

"What the hell is that?" I asked, my voice husky with pain. I fought the sudden surge of energy. It rushed through me, akin to drinking ten cans of monster in an hour.

_Yeah ... Remember how that turned out? You practically vibrated for twelve hours. _

He looked up, his stunning-blue eyes meeting mine. "Stim injection. Adrenaline, pain meds, that kind of thing," he explained, peering into my eyes, tilting my chin up to inspect my face before looking down at my wound.

"S'like crack or some shit," I slurred, my eyes focusing and un-focusing on him.

"You're gonna need that looking at. I don't think the bullet hit anything vital, but we'd better have Doctor Chakwas check you over." He activated his comm unit. "Garrus to Normandy. We've got wounded. Amiee took a hit, have med-bay prepped."

_Oh god, don't call Action Man, he's gonna flip a table or something. _

James's voice responded almost instantly. "How bad, Scars?" Concern turned his tone into a thick growl. "Is she alive?"

"She's fine, James. Took a slug to the hip, should leave her with a pretty scar though," Garrus said, his dual-toned voice rumbling in his haste to reassure the Marine.

_Another scar? I've still got zombie teeth marks in my damn neck. _

James spoke again, but I was too out of it to listen. Garrus looked down, his mandibles fluttered in a smile. I raised my hand, tugging one of them gently. It felt like warm leather, softer than I'd thought it would be; almost flexible. I don't know what the hell I was thinking to be honest, but the strange appendages of his face suddenly fascinated me. A low sigh escaped him.

"Amiee, don't play with my face, " he muttered, removing my hand as a large explosion, followed by the all clear call sounded. He looked down at me again, amusement clear on his face.

_Well, lookit, I can figure out his expressions, shame it takes drugs to do it. _

He rolled his eyes at the stupid grin on my face. "Come on, let's move." He helped me to my feet, steadying me, his hand cupping my elbow.

I gathered my scattered wits, nodding to him in what I hoped was a reassuring way. I moved past him, resisting the temptation to whine and bitch. A dull ache throbbed over my hip, each step only agitating it more until it became almost unbearable. My suit did its things though, as another soothing flood of medi-gel washed over my hip.

We followed the trail of bodies to where Shepard and Liara stood at the entrance to another lab. No one spoke, but Shepard squeezed my shoulder, a small smile on her lips. It warmed me, gave me a strength I desperately needed. It vanished a split-second later, and the glow it had created faded.

She hacked the door and took one last look around before entering the second lab. Liara turned to me, gesturing for me to limp ahead.

_Bloody perfect. Hey, how did you die? I went into a creepy ass room, you know the kind right? All dark and mysterious? Yeah, I know the kind. Yeah ... Well, you're a fucktard, ain't ya? Everyone knows not to go into the spooky room. _

I looked around, but to be honest, it wasn't much different than the last one, so I moved towards the main console beside Shepard.

"Cerberus found footage of the Protheans, they were studying it to figure out how to physically open the pod," Liara said from behind us. She started examining the other consoles, her gloved hands trailing over holo interfaces and controls.

Shepard clicked the console we stood in front of, bringing up several screens, all showing graphs and walls of text that made my head hurt. I would have said something, but as soon as I looked at the main screen, I felt the rushing of a tunnel surrounding me again. Light and sound blurred, rushing in my ears and blinding my eyes, before once again, I stood in another world.

I flinched, wanting to cower as Reapers walked over head, but I couldn't move, something held my body in place as images flashed over me. We saw Eden Prime again, worse than before; almost completely destroyed and unrecognisable from the Eden outside.

Two figures approached, their steps agitated as they spoke. "I never thought our empire would fall," one said, his voice full of unspoken pain, exhaustion and a little fear.

The Prothean I'd seen before turned to face his companion. "It won't." He looked around, four golden eyes scanning the perimeter. "We will sleep here until the Reapers return to dark space. Then we will rise, a million strong."

The first took a deep breath. "For the empire."

"For the empire. Now, get to your stasis pod," the Prothean from the last vision ordered. He watched as the first walked away, before turning and walking the way he'd come. "Victory, broadcast the stasis readiness signal to all lifepods."

A green glowing figure appeared and I recognized it from before. A strange bar appeared, floating in front of them both, before it disappeared. "And the refugees who have yet to reach the bunker?" it asked, coming to a halt.

The Prothean sighed, closing his eyes for a second, a pained expression on his face. "Their sacrifice will be honored in the coming empire."

The ground shook, stopping any further speech as an explosion ripped through the walls a few meters away. The prothean ripped his weapon from his back, and charged, facing his enemy, guns and biotics blazing.

The image cut off, and I gasped as I was thrown back into my body. The world around me came into focus, and I could hear Shepard gasping too.

Liara gave us both a second, before she asked, "You understood that one too?"

I nodded, but Shepard spoke. "Yeah. I've got the signal the Protheans used to activate stasis mode." She rolled her shoulder, turning to look into my eyes. Reflected back at me, I could see her horror at what we'd see, and I knew we'd always share this burden; the burden of watching a dead race's destruction.

Liara smiled. "Excellent, now we have everything we need to open the pod."

Shepard brushed past her, opening the door and exiting. Garrus took a long look at me, concern in his eyes, and I shook my head, not wanting to explain what I'd seen. How could I really? There were no words for something like that. I squeezed his arm as I passed him, following my commander out into the open. My hip ached, but compared to the pain in my chest, I could bear it.

I looked up, hearing the sound of shuttles. "Back up forces are here!" Liara shouted. She moved to cover Shepard as we ran, heading for the building beside the lab.

Garrus covered me, his movements smooth in comparison to my slightly hobbling steps. I unhooked my sniper rifle, moving to one of the windows. Kneeling down, refusing to wince, I waited for Garrus to join me as the two women began the fight. Their biotics created static in the air, sending my hair crackling as warps and throws were launched towards the Cerberus troops advancing on us.

"Guardians!" Garrus shouted, raising his Mantis. He fired off a shot, but I couldn't see his target. "Scoped and dropped!"

Grinning at his enthusiasm, I sighted down the barrel of my Viper, locking on to one of the shielded guardians. I first thought about firing at his feet, hoping to make him stumble and drop his cover. He advanced, covering his feet and I growled. Twitching the barrel up, I squeezed the trigger, aiming for the little slot he used to see where he was going. I missed in the first and second shots, but the third slammed into his head through the visor. He dropped his shield, falling dead to the ground.

"Nice shot," Garrus praised, throwing another heatsink my way. He reloaded at the same time. "Shepard's shields are down!"

_Crap. This is the part you say something badass. _My brain switched off, and adrenaline coursed through me, numbing everything until I focused only on the battle.

We raised our guns in unison, turning to focus on Shepard, who ducked behind a wall to let her shields regenerate. Pinned down, she reloaded her weapon. Her biotics sparked to life, coating her in a violet haze. Garrus and I targeted the two soldiers charging towards her. A turret began to fire, adding to the chaos. I felt the recoil of my weapon, not even realizing I'd fired until the one I'd sighted fell. I swept the barrel around, locking on the the turret, and pulled a grenade from my belt.

The explosion rocked the building, and the turret disintegrated, giving Shepard and Liara time to recover; they didn't need long. A shock wave rippled through the ground, throwing soldiers left and right for Garrus and I to pick off. Our strategy came naturally, almost as if planned. I wondered if the game had set the battles to play to my strengths, or if this was just our natural combat style. It didn't matter which, to be honest, as long as it worked. I reloaded again, sweeping the field and taking the last kill; an engineer hiding behind a crate. I dispatched him quickly, using my rounds to drill through his armor and end his life.

No one spoke as we searched through the bodies, gathering heatsinks and grenades. We scouted around a bit, looking for any more information, supplies or tech we could use, before heading back to the bridge.

"They've retracted the bridge," Liara groaned. "We'll have to find another way across."

We all turned, looking around for possible ways across, when Garrus pointed out a small ladder hidden in the shade of a building. "Look, down there. See that ladder. If we jump down, we can climb that and use the rooftops to get to the pod."

I followed the path his talon made in the air. I couldn't see any other alternative, so I nodded. "I agree. More are probably on their way, we should get out of here as soon as we can."

Shepard stared at the rout for another second, before jumping down into the hollow the bridge had crossed. Liara then Garrus followed, leaving me stood shifting from foot to foot. I didn't think my hip would stand the jump. Running around had already opened the wound, and I could feel blood seeping down my leg. Garrus turned to look at me, confused.

"Lil' help, big guy?" I asked him, teetering on the edge.

He grinned and moved closer. He reached up, his taloned hands on my waist. He lifted me, swinging me around to set me gently down on the ground. "Don't worry, this will be over soon, and we can get you patched up."

"Don't worry, Scars, I got this," I said, grimacing a little as one of the plates of my armor rubbed against my hip. My suit activated again, and another layer of medi-gel soaked my burning skin. "C'mon, before they leave us behind. I wanna see the ice lolly dude." I crossed the gorge, letting Garrus help me up the other side. Once at the ladder, I waited for Liara to ascend. _Yeah, cause asari butt is what I want in my face right now. _

I climbed the ladder, each rung digging into my sweaty palms. I promised myself, as soon as I got back on the ship, I would have coffee, painkillers and James. I remembered Shepard telling me I needed to meet the rest of the crew and sighed.

_So much for my plan. _I hopped over a venting system, trying to keep my hip from slamming into anything, and climbed down another ladder. "What's with all the pissin' ladders? You'd think they'd use lifts or something," I muttered to myself, the inevitable whining and bitching coming to fruition; I never could go long without moaning about something. "Okay, enough whining. Time to see Frosty Freeze."

We cleared the buildings, climbing down one last ladder, before crossing to the pod. Deja vu set in, and I could tell Garrus could feel it too. Switching to my shotgun, I half-listened to Liara and Shepard talking about the pod.

"Perfect. It'll take a few moments for the lifepod to process it," Liara said. She moved forward into my field of vision, not taking her eyes from the pod.

"Heavy Cerberus forces incoming," Garrus shouted, turning to face the shuttles sweeping over head.

_Fuck you, deja vu ... I totally just rhymed in my head ... I think I'm broken. _

Shepard and Liara joined me as we charged forward, covering the pod. "Liara, Amiee, move up. Garrus, hang back and protect the pod. I'll use my biotics to keep the buildings clear!" she ordered, using her comms. The noise of bullets and shuttles cut off any hope of us hearing her without the earpieces.

I nodded, ignoring the pain that bolted through my hip, and charged forward, Liara at my side. We took cover behind barrels, as a shuttle dropped off five soldiers. I bit my lip to stop myself from growling as my body protested the movement. Liara threw a singularity, catching three in the air, and I shot them down, my rounds slicing through them. The other two charged forward, not even looking at their fallen comrades.

"Headshot!" Garrus bellowed as the head of the first exploded into a cloud of gray and red mist.

"We don't need a running commentary, we have eyes!" I shouted back, pulling the trigger of my scimitar. The Cerberus soldier's armor bent inwards from the close range burst, and he staggered back. I didn't give him a chance to roll away, I just squeezed the trigger again, absorbing the recoil as he fell to the mud. Wincing, I joined Liara for the second wave; this one coming from behind one of the buildings.

She engaged, throwing a singularity, and following it with warp. I shot the soldier dragged by the biotics, winging him with the first shot, and killing him with a second to his stomach. I grimaced at the sight. To the left, I could hear Shepard and Garrus clearing out the buildings.

The battle waged for what felt like hours, a constant pounding of gunfire, screams and curses. Shepard bellowed orders, Garrus kept up his running commentary, and Liara kept me covered as I made foray after foray into the line of fire. We alternated, giving each other time to reload and take a breath.

When the wave ended, we took respite in a nearby building. Liara and Shepard placed singularities on the doors, giving us a small measure of security while we restocked, reloaded and caught our breath.

I checked my wound, tugging the armor up a little to see the pale skin of my hip. The wound looked aggravated, sticky and more than a little dirty. Orange gel, blood and dirt clumped around the ragged edges, making me swallow. I could see the flushed edges, knowing that if I didn't get some kind of medical help soon, I was looking at blood poisoning or infection at the very least.

_Crap. Okay, grit your teeth. _

I pulled my small canteen of water from the other hip and used my teeth to open the cap. I squeezed my eyes shut, before tipping the cold water over the burning skin. I bit my tongue, blood blooming in my mouth, but I didn't scream, I refused to scream. Opening my eyes and blinking back the tears, I looked down, watching as the water cleared the muck away.

"Jebus on a krogan," I gasped, stopping the thin stream of water. It looked better without half of Eden Prime stuck to it. I plastered on a thick layer of medi-gel, before lowering my suit. "No more getting shot, it's a pain in the bloody ass," I grumbled.

"Okay, enough rest, let's get our prothean and get the hell out of here," Shepard called from her spot near the door. She looked ... _alive. _Her hair shone in the evening sun, and her eyes blazed a ghostly grey. She lived for battle.

I shook my head at the random thoughts and moved to stand beside her. Garrus patted my head as he joined us, and Liara bumped me with her elbow. The feeling of being part of a team filled me, bolstering my strength. Together, we left the room, our weapons drawn, and our shields up.

The air exploded in a cloud of dust and a burst of heat, making me cough and blink. I tried to see through the haze, catching sight of something in the mist. A huge body, made of metal and glass stood up, it's arms turning towards us.

"Atlas!" Shepard bellowed, diving to the left. Liara followed her, but I just ... stood there.

I don't know why I froze, but some deep rooted fear paralyzed me. The atlas let out a loud hiss and something erupted from the end of the limb. Arms grabbed my waist, and I flew through the air, landing underneath a hard, armor covered body.

"Stay down," Garrus rumbled. We both flinched as the heat of a rocket blew over us. "Aim for the glass," he whispered, rolling off me and raising his Mantis.

I scrambled to my feet, lifting my Scimitar and taking my first real look at the atlas.

_Fuck me ... That thing is huge! _

_That's what she- Not the time, Amiee!_

I took cover, before turning my gun toward the large glass panel on the front. It was then that I noticed the pilot-tiny in comparison to the mech-glaring at me. I fired, flinching as the recoil hit my shoulder. My rounds bounced off the glass, leaving tiny cracks, but not shattering it.

I lobbed a grenade, diving behind a crate as it exploded by its feet. Pointing my shotgun at the atlas again, I pumped more rounds out, reloading as fast as I could. I slammed another heatsink into the chamber, listening to my team as they bombarded the atlas, dodging rockets and heavy fire. Diving into the fray again, I charged right in front of it, ducking under its arm and firing at close range. Shepard threw a warp, forcing the mech back so I could escape before it targeted me.

"Don't you dare!" I screamed at Garrus as I joined him on the opposite side of the field.

He grinned, looking at me as he fired, shattering the mech's window. "Scoped and dropped!"

I growled, meeting his eyes as I shot the last round of the fight, the bullet slamming into the head of the pilot. "Boom! Headshot!"

Silence fell, broken by that last cough of my shotgun. "Fuck me, I'm knackered," I gasped, my chest heaving. Blood covered me, either my own or from those I'd killed. I wanted nothing more at that moment, than to fall into a hot bath followed by a warm bed. "Bloody hell ..."

Garrus shook his head. "Nice shot. Not as stylish as mine, but still, you're learning."

_He's so damn cocky! I am gonna school this dino. _I growled, standing up, and holstering my shotgun.

Shepard and Liara joined us. Stepping over the shrapnel from the mech, we reached the pod. A couple of button pushes from Shepard, and the pod opened, hissing as de-compressed air escaped. I leaned down, the others doing the same to peer into the hollowed out space.

"Goddess ..." Liara gasped.

"Well helloooo, Mr Freeze," I whispered, watching as his eyes blinked open. He growled, looking around at us, and I raised my hands. "Dude, chill ... Well, don't, but uh, calm down, s'all good."

He growled again, a green aura misted around him. An explosion of sea-foam green biotics threw us back. I landed, thumping to the metal and groaning. I shook my head, sitting up just in time to see the Prothean climb from the pod.

My hand raised to my head. "Ow." I winced, watching him.

His armour gleamed in the sun, blood-red and plated. He looked at us, four golden eye blinked, scanning us. He fell to his knees, disorientated and weak. Shepard stood, approaching him, her hands out in a soothing motion. He moved, standing up and falling.

I rolled over, coming to my knees before getting to my feet. Holding my hand out, I offered it to Garrus, pulling him to his feet as Liara stood beside us. We watched Shepard, listening to her try to calm the Prothean.

"Be careful, he's confused," Liara warned, "Remember, it's been fifty thousands years for us, but for him it's only been minutes."

Shepard put her hand on the Prothean's shoulder.

I held Garrus's hand, letting him lead me closer. Something passed between Shepard and the prothean as they touched. They both froze in place, staring out at Eden Prime. I watched Shepard's face as horror, pain, sorrow and then ... understanding passed over it.

They broke apart, and the Prothean once again fell to his knees. I stepped forward automatically, but Garrus pulled me back, shaking his head.

The Prothean took a breath. "How many others?" His voice rumbled, similar to the turian sub-harmonics, but heavily accented and a little smoother.

Shepard sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Just you," she said, her voice soft as he blew out another breath, a slight sorrowful note to the tone. "You can understand me?" she asked him.

He faced away, his fists clenched and I realized that he was asking about his people. I flinched, wanting to say something, but no words would come.

"Yes. Now that I have read your physiology, your nervous system. Enough to understand your language," he said, that tone marring his speech again.

Shepard looked confused for a moment, her face echoing the rest of her teams. "So you were reading me, while I was seeing ..." She stopped, seeming lost for words. _If she saw another vision like the ones we saw before ... There's just no words for that. _

He confirmed my suspicion a second later. He turned, his strange eyes blazing. "Our last moments. Our failure"

I shook my head, moving forward. "That's bullshit. I saw it too. I saw you. You were still fighting, right 'til the end ..." I blushed, realizing I'd spoken out of turn.

He turned his glare on me. "Human, primitive. You know nothing." He grabbed my arms, freezing me in place. "Even more primitive than this one." He jerked his head towards Shepard. "What would you know of our struggle?"

I flinched back at the derision in his tone. "Nothing? I know what I saw. And that was you, fighting for your people. I don't think you failed ... I mean, you're still here, right?"

He snarled. "You know nothing of my people and the war that claimed them all."

I wanted to slap him already. I didn't though, I understood he'd just woken up and was probably grumpy or something, and yeah, I wasn't exactly advanced, but insulting the people who fought to get you out was a bit of a shit trick to play.

When I didn't speak, he looked at Liara and Garrus as they flanked me. "Asari, turian ... I'm surrounded by primitives."

I glared. "I'm not a damn primitive, and neither are my friends. Look, I'm sorry about your people, but we need you, we need you to help fight the Reapers so I can go home and this war ends."

"You fight the Reapers?" he asked, glancing between us and then to Shepard, who walked away a little, talking into her comm unit.

"Yeah, this 'primitive' fights the Reapers, so stop with the insults." I knew I was being confrontational, but my body hurt, and I wanted to go back home. _Not home. The _Normandy_is not home, Amiee. _

He crossed his arms. "I'm surprised you have lived this long. You do not act like a soldier, you act like a child."

_Oh, it's on, Iceman. _

"I'm telling you to back off, and I'm telling you as nicely as I can, without stabbing you in the face," I snapped, mimicking his pose. Garrus put a restraining hand on my arm, but I ignored it.

I don't take insults well, and this dude pushed my buttons. Cranky, hurt, Amiee, with a sarcastic, superior asshat ... not a good combination.

_You don't wanna push me today, buddy_.

I refused to back down under the weight of his glare, and he refused to stop glaring.

_You don't get respect being a weak little girl ..._

He dropped his arms. "You have strength ... for a primitive," the Prothean said, his face showing nothing. "Perhaps I was mistaken."

He sized me up for a moment before nodding and displaying his vampire-like teeth in a grin.

_Well, glad we got that out of the way. _"So, you got a name, Iceman?" I asked him, returning his grin. I couldn't help it, I loved a good stand off.

_Oh, I'm gonna have fun with this one._

"I am Commander Javik."


	15. With Hell I Live

_Mother. Fucking. Ow!_

My head hurt, aching as if a Reaper had landed on it. Raising my hand, I cupped my forehead and attempted to open my eyes. _Damn ... Pain meds and stimpacks equal worst fucking hangover ever. _

I took a moment to breathe, giving up on opening my eyes when my lids refused to cooperate. I remembered being in the med bay the night before, but after that ... _nothing_. Not even James; which I found odd, considering how protective he normally was. The fact that my Marine wasn't beside me, telling me off for getting shot, had one eye opening.

I sat up, using most of my energy in the process. Something slipped from my chest to the floor beside my bed. I peered around, noting the dark room. Nothing stirred, so I slid my legs from the bed, my foot landing on something. Looking down, I frowned.

"Huh ..." I bent, wincing as my head protested this new position, and scooped up the data pad. I braced myself and pressed the screen, waiting for the glow to pierce my eyes and make my head explode in pain. _Fuck ... _My eyes closed against it, and I panted for a moment, dizziness and nausea washing over me, making me tremble.

After several long moments of just breathing, I slit my eyelids and read the text on the screen. The letters blurred for a moment, and I blinked a few times to clear the haze.

_I don't know why I'm writing this, but it feels important. Like something is missing, I don't know what, but I can feel it. _

_It hurts. _

_Something's wrong. Something's in my head. I hear ... voices. Voices I know. I don't know who they are, or what they're saying. Something's wrong. I don't know why I'm writing this, but something's telling me I have to. _

_I hear ... I hear someone telling me a story, a sad story, about a princess that fell asleep because her world was so dark. Her world was poisoned, and her body closed off her soul, protecting it and sending her to sleep. The voice promised someone would come, a knight in shining armor to kiss her awake ... I don't know how, but I know he never came. Who's the princess? Who's telling the story? I can't remember. _

_Something is in my head, and I feel it, worming its way into my brain. How can I not know? I know the voices, I know I do, but ... there are no faces to the voices. I can smell peppermint and wood smoke, and feel something under my hands. Super soft, rigid cable-knit warmth. A jumper? I don't know, but it makes me feel safe. _

'_Don't let go of Larry. If you keep him close, he'll always protect you, cause he's a fierce and noble leopard. He won't ever let you get lost, and neither will I."_

_Don't let go of Larry. _

_A woman sings, I can hear her, like an echo. She sings about the princess, she uses my name. Who is she? Why can't I see her face.? I can just see a shape, like something's over my eyes ... I saw a necklace, a silver locket I think ... I don't know. It's all fuzzy now. Like a dream. _

_Who are the voices? _

_Amiee, you need to wake up and go home. Remember who they are and don't let go of Larry. Don't forget. _

I blinked as a drop of water fell to the screen. Looking up for the source, I frowned. My eyes were blurry and I rubbed them, my fingers coming away wet. _Why am I crying? _I looked at the data pad again. _Did I write this? _

"Amiee. James would like to see you. He is at the door."

I looked up at the sound of EDI's voice and bit my lip. "Uh, tell him to come in," I said, my voice a little croaked. I slipped the data pad under my pillow as the door opened and James entered, his face a mask of concern and hesitance.

"Muñeca? You alright?" he asked, stopping a short distance from me. He stood, legs braced, posture stiff, looking down at me, his eyes worried and sad.

I reached out a hand, needing to touch him. He blew out a breath, moving forward quickly and kneeling in front of me. He pulled my hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to the palm. I scanned his face, confusion making me frown.

"What's wrong?" I asked, running the pad of my thumb over his lips. I dismissed the data pad and its confusing message; my Action Man was upset. I pushed aside the hangover, ignoring the part of my brain screaming at me to go back to sleep. "Baby, tell me."

He shook his head, brushing away the tears still leaking from my eyes. "Nothing, Muñeca. I was just ... worried about you. Last night ..." he stopped, not meeting my eyes. "It's nothing you need to worry about right now." His huge shoulders rolled in a shrug.

I leaned forward, moving my hand from where it rested on his cheek to his chin. Pulling his head around, I met his eyes. "Tell me."

_Something's wrong._

Brushing the thought aside, I closed the distance between us, and pressed my forehead to his. "Please."

He took a deep breath, wrapping his arms around my waist and holding me. "You were shot, remember?" He waited for me to nod. "When you were brought back, I carried you here. Shepard said you passed out in the shuttle, but the Prothean guy said something was wrong."

I flinched a little as he said the words. "What happened, James?"

"Doctor Chakwas treated you, gave you pain meds, antibiotics and stitched you up. I thought you'd be fine ... until you started screaming." He swallowed. "You weren't talking our language ... You were talking Prothean, according to Javik. He said you were screaming about his people, that somehow you were recalling his war and you were calling for help, begging for someone to save them."

"I can't have been. I don't know Prothean," I said, running my hands over his shoulders, trying to soothe us both. "Maybe it's the game? Maybe it's some part of the game we don't know about yet." I swallowed back the temptation to show him the data pad. I didn't want to scare him any more.

"Javik is as confused as we are. He wants to touch you, to learn more." His voice lowered a little at the last part.

I squeezed his shoulders and pulled him to me. He obligingly wrapped me tighter. "I'm sorry I freaked out, Amiee. I guess it was shock, you know? I never thought my girlfrie-"

I gasped a little. He'd nearly said what we'd both been avoiding. "Yours," I whispered, kissing him, my lips soft against his, tinted with the salt of my tears. "Don't worry, baby. I'm sure this is just something for a future mission. I mean, maybe we need someone to understand Prothean so we can find out more about the crucible, or the Reapers." I pushed aside my doubt, infusing my words with strength I didn't feel.

"Mine," he agreed, nuzzling my neck. "_Mi __muñeca __bonita. __Tu eres mi mundo_." The Spanish words rolled off his tongue, rippling like water, making the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I didn't know what they meant, but it sounded beautiful.

My stomach rumbled and he chuckled against my skin, the vibration of his chest against mine eliciting a giggle from my own mouth. I ran my hands up is back, cupping his neck and savoring his heat.

_Damn this man, and his effect on me. He can make me forget anything. _I shook my head, all fear and worry leaving me as he cradled me in his arms. _I wonder if the game programed this? The perfect match for me? How much is programmed, and how much is real? _

Shaking my head, I pulled back, pressing a light kiss to his scarred cheek. "C'mon, Action Man, I'm hungry as all hell." I stood as he did, letting him support me as I wobbled, the room spinning. Once I'd regained my equilibrium, I let him lead me from the room, my hand tucked into his much larger one. My feet were bare, but I preferred it that way, hating the restriction of shoes when at home. I looked down at myself once we entered the lit hallway and raised my brow at him.

He blushed, a cute coloring of his high cheekbones. "I thought you'd be more comfy in something of mine," he explained, leading me to the mess.

Joker sat at one of the tables, looking moody. He let out a sigh as we entered and I tilted my head to the side. "How come you're away from the bridge? I thought you were glued to your posh leather seat."

"EDI," he said, her name more an exasperated sigh, as if just that explained his annoyance. "She's decided she has a bossy personality trait, and I can't figure out how to turn it off ... _yet_," he grumbled, before taking a sip of his coffee. He looked at me, a grin spreading on his face. "So, crazy lady, gonna entertain us all again?"

James growled but I laughed. "Sorry, one time show. I don't take requests," I said, sitting down in the chair James held out for me. He pressed a kiss to the top of my head, causing Joker to roll his eyes, before moving towards the kitchen.

"Damn. That shit would have got me a fortune on the extranet, but Shepard stopped me recording," he said, shaking his head.

I chuckled. "Sorry, hon. I hate to deprive you of the creds to pay for your porn habits."

Blushing, he ducked his head. "I don't have a habit. It's more of a casual thing ... just on weekends, that kind of thing."

"Mr Moreau," EDI interrupted, her voice coming from the speakers around us. "I do not think 'Just on weekends,' aptly describes your 'habit."

Her voice-though mechanical-held a trace of amusement that made me grin. _Oh, burn ... I'm starting to like that creepy AI, she's got a funny button. _

James placed a cup of coffee in front of me, his arm brushing against mine, making me shiver. "How does scrambled eggs on toast sound, Muñeca?" he asked, leaning his weight on the back of my chair.

"Like heaven," I groaned, my stomach tightening, anticipation making my mouth water.

Joker looked at James. "Not gonna ask me what I want? I thought you loved me, bro," he said, making his tone heartbroken.

I shook my head. "You can use the self service. Besides, I thought coffee was your only food group." I looked down at his empty cup and pushed mine towards him, earning a grin. A thought hit me. "Hey, I know you lot don't have Monster here, but do you have energy drinks? Like, under a different name? I mean, you have caffeine still, what about taurine?"

"Sure, we have those. They're not good for you though," he said, "I think we've got some ... Cortez bought some to try but didn't like them." He shrugged, sipping my coffee and grimacing. Adding a spoonful of sugar, he sipped again and nodded. "They're in the kitchen."

I'd never moved so fast in all my life, not even when I'd been shot at. My legs moved on auto, carrying me to the kitchen where I nearly bumped into James, who let go of the egg box he was holding to catch me.

I brushed off his hands and began raiding the cupboards for my prize. I didn't know what to look for, and hoped packaging hadn't advanced so far that I wouldn't recognize it. My hands knocked over tubs of cereal, boxes of protein bars, and cans of nutrient paste until I found, at the very back, what I craved.

"Fuck yeah, donkey!" I shouted, doing a little dance. The can was open and against my lips within seconds, and I nursed like a newborn child. Rich, honey-like goodness poured down my throat, making me moan. It tasted like nirvana, almost exactly like my favorite flavor of Monster.

I finished the first can in seconds and had opened the second, when I realized an eery silence had fallen. Both men were staring at me as if I'd grown a second head. "What?" I asked, my voice husky.

"Muñeca, if I knew you could moan like that, I would've bought crates of that stuff," James said, his gaze heated.

Joker laughed, a deep belly laugh that echoed across the mess. "Crazy lady, you just made my day." He held up his omni-tool, showing me a picture of me, drinking like a woman dying of thirst. My hair was a mess, all matted around my face and the shirt I wore barely covered my body. I looked like a homeless person having a hit of cheap cider after months of being sober.

I put my can down, the movement miniscule and precise. "Delete it," I ordered, taking a step forward. "Now."

"Oh no, I'm keeping this ... I gotta have something to blackmail you with wh-" he broke off as I walked forward. "Brittle bones guy, remember? You can't hit me!" he shouted, backing up further into his seat.

"Can't I?" I asked, stopping at the table and placing my palms flat on the table. "Get. Rid. Of. It."

"I'd do as she says, Joker," James said, crossing his arms over his chest to watch. "Then again, carry on, I got a great view." I turned my glare on him, and he grinned, keeping his gaze where it was.

"Last chance," I snapped to the pilot.

He shook his head, amusement clear in his eyes. "Oh no. I know you won't hurt me, cause I fly the ship."

"EDI is perfectly capable of flying the _Normandy_while you recover in med bay," I said, enjoying winding him up.

"That is correct, Amiee, but I would advise against breaking too many of Mr Moreau's bones, as Doctor Chakwas is on shore leave at the moment," EDI interrupted.

"EDI can delete the picture, remember," I told the pilot, raising my brow. "If I promise not to break, Joker, will you?" I asked the AI.

"Picture deleted."

I laughed as the image vanished from the device. Joker's face made me laugh even harder. "You're such a buttface."

He sighed. "Damn it, EDI, I thought you were on my side," he said, addressing the air.

I moved away, collecting my can of energy drink before returning to the table. "James, something's burning," I said, sipping from my can before reading the label. The name was in a language I didn't know, so I turned it to Joker. "Know what this says?"

He peered at it before shaking his head. "Nope, not a clue. Anyway, my break is over, so I'll see you later, Crazy Lady," he said, getting up slowly before hobbling from the room, muttering about interfering AI's in hot bodies.

I mused over the can for a while, barely noticing as James placed a full plate in front of me and sat down. "James," I said, looking down. "I can't eat all this."

"Why do you think I only made one plate, Muñeca?" he asked, showing me his own fork. He grinned at me, leaning over to kiss my cheek before tucking into the perfectly cooked eggs.

We shared our meal in silence, just enjoying the relative peace. "So, can you read this?" I asked, pushing the plate towards him when I was full. I showed him the can and waited for him to finish his mouthful.

"Yeah, it's Spanish. It's called Destripador, or in English, Ripper," he said, wiping his mouth.

My mouth dropped open. "No. Fucking. Way!"

"Amiee, Javik has requested your presence in his quarters."

EDI's voice pulled me from my energy drink induced shock. I exchanged a look with James. "It'll be okay, Action Man."

"Mine," he said, a soft note of possessiveness in his low baritone.

"Yours," I whispered, kissing him, showing him how much I needed him. I let my eyes close, lingering in that sweet moment for as long as I could. We broke apart and our eyes met. "Love you." He hummed in approval and gave me one last kiss before turning back to his breakfast.

I stood up, grabbed my drink and left the mess. I knew why he was worried. He thought, much like I did, that hanging around with Javik would make the crazy in my head even worse. But, there was nothing I could do about it. I had to find out the cause of this, even if it hurt. I had to get every scrap of information, every facet of knowledge to help this galaxy survive the Reapers.


	16. Memories Of Hell

_Well, that was a waste of bloody time. _

I exited Javik's creepy, humid room, feeling more tired now, than I had before. My energy drink induced hyperactivity had faded hours ago, leaving me exhausted and depressed. Javik had given up in the end, after hours of searching my head for information on why I could talk Prothean.

_Nothing . . .. _

I let out a little growl of frustration. He'd tried speaking to me in Prothean, tried examining my memories-much to my chagrin-I mean, I get that he's grumpy, but did he really need to make sarcastic remarks about my life every two seconds? The only sympathy he'd shown, had been when he'd seen the memories I'd forced down, hidden away in the darkest part of my mind. His eyes had softened, and he'd said something I didn't understand, before his superior, sarcastic-ass mask had fallen back over his face.

I blinked back the tears that had gathered in my eyes. Seeing things again like that . . . it made me want to forget, to never look back at the hell of a life I'd lived. My mother . . . my father . . . my family that despised me because I hadn't been what they wanted. Pain had me holding my stomach, wanting to throw up, I gagged on it, wishing I could just . . . forget. To be someone else . . . just for a while.

I hadn't really thought too much about my life since deciding I'd finish this mission. I knew that if I got lost in the memories of my home, of my son, that I'd lose my mind. Pushing them down, trying not to feel homesick had been the only way I could move through this world. I thought of my son and the tears fell. I missed him. I missed his voice, his smile, his laugh. I wanted to hear it again. I _needed _it. To hold him to me again . . .. _Amiee stop. Just . . . stop. _

Shaking my head, I wiped my damp face. _That room is going on the 'avoid like the plague' list. _Rubbing my palms over my hips, I padded towards the elevator, planning on getting dressed in more than P'j's before heading to the Citadel. I had shore leave, so I could unwind after a stressful few days. I needed to drink away the memories, to just be blank.

_I wonder if there's a bar? I could use a bloody drink. Hair of the damn dog that bit ya'. _

My thoughts strayed to the data pad still hidden under my pillow, but I pushed it aside. I don't know why, but the thought of exploring it made me feel sick again. I bit my lip, tapping my foot as the elevator took its sweet-ass time getting me to the next floor.

"EDI? Think Shepard would be pissed if I blew this contraption up?" I asked, looking towards the small console at the back.

"While Shepard herself has often pondered doing that out loud, I do not think she would truly appreciate having to use the maintenance shafts to retire each night," the AI responded after a short moment. "Though, I quite like the sight of humans on their knees."

_. . .. ! . . .. _

"EDI?" I asked, worried the artificial intelligence may have let having a body go to her head. "That's not . . .." I had no idea how to finish the sentence.

_Please tell me I don't have to talk down a crazy, power-mad robot today, I'm tired and need a drink. _

"That was a joke," she said, that odd note of humor in her voice again. "It seems both you and Jeff have more in common than either of you would like."

"EDI, you do know that what you said could be taken two ways, right?" I asked, grinning. "I'm sure, Joker would love to be on his knees in front of you." I know it was mean, teasing the robot that probably didn't understand innuendos, but like she said, I'm more like Joker than I'd ever admit out loud.

"I'm not sure I understand, Amiee."

I grinned even wider. "You should ask him," I advised as the elevator opened, depositing me into the corridor of the crew deck. I padded away, imagining the conversation between the sarcastic pilot and the information hungry AI.

"Three . . . two . . . one," I whispered as I entered the crew rooms.

"Amiee!" Jokers voice shouted over the ships comms. "Just you wait, Crazy Lady. I'm going to pay yo-Yes EDI, I'll explain, just let me deal with this, okay.-You're so gonna pay, Amiee." The embarrassment in his voice just made the small victory even sweeter. The comms cut off, silencing the sound of EDI's questions and the pilots stammering, and I laughed.

Throwing on some leggings under James's shirt, I slipped my feet into my combat boots and tied up my hair. "Well, I look like a hobo, but meh, It's not like I'm seeing anyone other than James," I muttered to myself, looking in the mirror.

_Kinda hobo chic . . .. Maybe I'll spark a trend. _

* * *

After avoiding the cold sprays in the decon, I exited the_Normandy,_ready to do some serious shopping. Shepard had given me a credit chit a while ago, one that automatically received my wages each week.

_Yeah, I get paid to run around getting shot at, who knew? _Shaking my head, I walked away from the docking station, avoiding refugees and the staff trying to sort out the mess of people milling around.

The sight of children clinging to their parents chilled me, showed me the real effects the war had on the galaxy. I'd seen planets burning, people dying, and monsters of all kinds, but those faces, so innocent, so scared, pulled at me, tore me up and left me feeling raw.

_That could be Kye . . .. Fucking hell. _

I bit my lip, wishing I could do more. Their sorrow-filled eyes followed me, burning holes in my back as I walked away, knowing I had nothing more to offer. I'd already promised to help, been shot for my efforts, and would likely be shot at even more before I was done, what more _could_I do?

I waited for the elevator, lost in thought. Time passed, moving faster than my thoughts, as I made my way through the Citadel. My feet carried me, directionless and meandering as I thought about the war and what we still faced. Did the fact I could apparently speak Prothean mean anything? Did the data pad full of . . . whatever the hell it was, mean anything? Could we save them all? The questions burrowed into my mind, and after letting out a long sigh, I pushed them aside. I needed things that couldn't be found in the middle of space.

I looked around, not recognizing the area I stood in. People milled around, seeming oblivious to anything other than their activities. Some gambled, some drank, laughing in small clusters, while others strolled, arm in arm. Couples, families and single people dressed to the nines roamed the street made of lights.

_Seriously, how many frickin' lights do they need?I need sunglasses, cause sunglasses are cool. _

Huge buildings coated in neon towered above me, seeming to glow brighter as I stared at them. The lights, mixed with the deafening_noise _of the place made me tremble. Smells assaulted me, spicy, metallic and mixed with the scent of money. The contrast between the poverty I'd seen in the refugees and the people here couldn't be any clearer. Two totally different worlds.

"Where the shit am I?" I wondered out loud. I turned full circle, hoping for some kind of landmark, something that would lead me to a shopping centre, or even a corner shop, but nothing stood out in the neon jungle.

_Crap. Well done Amiee, first time off the ship alone and you get lost. Gold fickin' star._

I lifted my omni-tool, thinking I'd send James a 'Please god, rescue me' message, when someone bumped into me, sending me flying. I landed, my butt stinging as it hit the metal floor, and groaned. I looked up, blinking as the male who'd charged into me walked off without so much as a backward glance.

_Rude much? Jesus, the people in this place really don't give a shit, do they? _

I scrambled to my feet, blushing as I realized I'd drawn a crowd of nosy onlookers. Backing away to let the pedestrian traffic flow again, I changed direction, hoping to go back to the _Normandy_. I walked for what felt like miles, soon becoming lost in the metal jungle. I bit my lip.

_I need a damn elevator. Who'd have thought I'd actually want one of those things. _ Heading down an alleyway, I wrapped my arms around my waist, suddenly realizing I was very alone.

Darkness seemed to creep in on me, sending shivers skating up my spine and raising the hair on the back of my neck. I stopped, listening. _Please tell me they weren't footsteps. _I strained my ears, praying that I'd misheard, or my paranoia had decided to go into overdrive. I slipped further into the shadows, backing up against the wall as another sound of footsteps rang through the alley.

I held my breath, hoping it was just someone on their way home, or a mindless vagrant looking for somewhere to sleep. _Just keep walking, just keep walking, walking, walking,_I sang in my head, the Finding Nemo tune oddly comforting. The steps hesitated, and something began to sniff. Long inhalations, followed by little puffs of breath reached my ears, and I bit my lip to stop myself from panting.

_It's a Nazgul, please, please, tell me there aren't Nazgul in this game. _

I leaned forward, shifting my weight as silently as I could to get a look at the sniffer. _Oh . . .. Naked Nazgul? _The thought popped into my head before I could stop it, and a nervous giggle breached my lips. Slimy, dirty brown skin, teeth like razor blades and crimson-brown eyes were the first thing I could see, and to be honest, I didn't want to see more.

His eyes met mine, and in them, I saw my death. _Evil. _Pure, undiluted hate made the strange, almost starburst-like eyes, glow, piercing the darkness and pinning me to the wall. "You die now," it hissed, its words coming out gritty, as if they'd been put through a blender first. Spittle and phlegm sprayed me, making me shudder.

"Yeah, I kinda have a problem with the dying part," I said, wanting to look for an escape. I didn't want to risk taking my eyes off the creature, just in case he attacked. "Back off, dude."

He lunged forward, hissing and snarling, his clawed hands reaching for me. I knew in a straight up fight, I had no chance, but hopefully I'd be able to get a few shots in and escape. I snapped out my fist the way James had shown me, making contact with its face. My knuckles hit its mouth and I screamed as the razor-like teeth cut into my skin. He growled, not seeming to be affected by my attempts to defend myself. His claws scratched at me, ripping into my clothes, but luckily not my skin.

I jumped backwards, trying to keep him out of range. "Look, I don't have anything you want," I gasped, pushing him back as he attacked again. His claws raked my arms, drawing blood from my skin and a growl from my throat. "Get. The. Fuck. Back."

He grabbed me, slamming me to the ground. His rancid breath coated my face as his hands found my throat. I bucked my hips, trying to dislodge the crushing weight and reached up for the spikes at the back of his head. Gripping them, I yanked his head down and brought mine up, smashing my forehead into his. Stars coated my vision, but I ignored it, wrestling with the creature, trying to gain dominance.

I couldn't breathe, his hands like tight bands around my throat, claws digging into the soft flesh. I twisted his head, trying to break his neck. I didn't want to kill him, but I didn't have a choice. I brought my knee up, trying to brace myself and twisted my hips, rolling us. I came up on top, punching it in the side of the head, over and over, until it finally lay still. Not dead, but unconscious.

I got to my feet, panting and wounded, wondering what the hell I did next. Looking down at the thing, I felt sorry for it, wondering why it had decided to attack. _Maybe he was just hungry? Or needed money for his family. Is he even a boy? _I shook my head, looking down at my bloody arms. _James is either gonna be proud, or kill me. _I let out a resigned sigh. _Nothing for it, time to call for backup. _Lifting my omni-tool, I typed out a message and sent the coordinates the device supplied.

_James. _

_I got lost and met with some trouble. Some Nazgul guy decided he wanted to kill me . . .. I think I knocked him out, but I kinda need a rescue. _

_Amiee. _

_Location. Aroch Ward. Coordinates attached. _

I tore strips from the bottom of my shirt, tying his wrists and feet. I didn't want to risk letting him go, just in case he decided to attack someone else. I sat down beside him, studying him, wondering what race he was. I'd been given a roster of all known races, but had only skimmed it. I ripped off another strip of my shirt, bandaging his bleeding head, feeling sorry for the creature. Wrapping my own arms as best I could to stem the bleeding, I waited for James to arrive.


	17. Hell's Ward

Red eyes burned into mine, seething anger and desperate fear searing through the sunburst pupils. I stayed still, knowing that if he really wanted to escape the bindings, he could have. I watched him, counting his ragged breathing for the longest time, before hesitantly shifting. He tensed, and I froze.

"I won't hurt you," I said softly. "I'm sorry if I did." I regretted hurting him, even though my own wounds protested. "What's your name?"

He blinked, spittle dripping from his teeth, and a strange vulnerability entered his eyes. I realized then, that this creature hadn't been around too long. His skin gleamed in the dull light, blood flecks and dirt ground into it in thick layers. His clothing hung off him, accentuating the half-starved figure underneath.

His words spat from him, low and snarling, but not aggressive. "Garot Rassk." He flinched a little, and I couldn't help but reach for him. Blood dripped into his eye, but he didn't blink, keeping his gaze centered on me.

"I'm Amiee. So, now we're on friendlier terms, why not tell me why you attacked me," I said, keeping my voice calming and gentle. I picked up a scrap of fabric and held it out, waiting for him to give me permission to clean away the blood.

Garot hesitated for a few seconds, before nodding. "Money," he grunted, keeping perfectly still as I tended to the blood and wrapped another strip around his head to stem the flow. "Need money."

I thought for a moment, sitting back and regarding him. "I can help you, let you up, but you have to promise not to run, or hurt me, or do anything else okay. I want to help." I placed my hand on his scrawny shoulder, wincing as I felt just how malnourished he was, offering my trust.

_I can't do anything for the refugees, there's too many, but damn it, I'm going to do something for this kid. _

I kept my hand on his skin as he stared into my eyes. "I promise, human." He stayed rigid as I untied him, waiting until I'd moved away before rubbing his wrists and ankles.

"Please, call me Amiee. I've already got one guy calling me 'human'," I said, smiling a little. "How old are you?" I asked, crossing my legs as he sat up and faced me. "And . . . pretend I'm not from here, okay. What race are you?"

He blinked, surprised by my question. "Garot vorcha," he said, tilting his head to the side. "Fourteen cycles." He seemed almost reluctant, but open to questioning, so I moved a little closer.

_Fourteen years old and in this state? . . . . Jesus. _I squashed the pity rising in my chest. "Okay, vorcha, got it." I didn't really, cause I had no idea if vorcha were nice or not, or even where they came from, I just knew I had to do something; no matter what race he came from. "I'm going to look at your wounds, alright?"

Garot went stiff again, seeming to think it over, before inclining his head. He looked so young and vulnerable, that any wounds he'd inflicted on me didn't matter now. I knelt beside him, lifting the bandage from his head and crooning softly. He leaned into me slightly, almost as if seeking the comfort, so I rested my free hand on his shoulder, rubbing small circles as gently as I could.

"I think you'll be okay, big fella," I whispered, not moving as he leaned his head on my shoulder. "It's okay, you're safe." I kept crooning, senseless murmures that calmed him even more. "Where are your parents?"

He shuddered, his arm creeping around my waist. "Dead," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "Garot has no one."

His words sealed the decision I'd been wavering on. I stroked his back, looking up as the sound of running alerted me to someone's approach. I recognised the sound, having heard James running around after me more than a few times. He burst into the alley, taking in the sight of me holding the vorcha.

His dark eyes met mine, before he scanned me, seeing the damage to my throat and arms. Garot tensed, moving to stand and push me behind him, trying to protect me from the huge Marine. I looked at James, putting my hand on Garot's arm.

"James, this is Garot. Don't hurt him, okay?" I moved, countering Garots attempts to keep me behind him, until I stood in front of my Action Man. I reached behind me, taking the vorcha's clawed hand in mine, soothing him, telling him without words that it was okay.

"Muñeca, step away," James said, his voice a low snarl. He held himself stiffly, anger radiating from every pore of his body. "Now." He glared at me, expecting me to move.

"Action Man, he's just a kid. He didn't mean to hurt me. He needs help, and I said I'd help him," I said, keeping my tone placating. "Please, baby. Can't you see he's just scared?" I pulled Garot closer, feeling his breath on the back of my neck. The little whimpers of fear coming from deep within his chest broke something inside me and I could see them working on James too.

"Amiee, you're bleeding, you need medical. Come away now," James said, reaching out his hand. I took it, but kept hold of Garot with the other.

"Please." I begged him, my eyes full of pleading tears. "Trust me."

He let out a deep breath, his shoulders sagging. "Fine. You can keep him, but if he hurts you . . . ." He didn't need to finish his sentence, I knew he would kill Garot if he hurt me.

"Garot won't hurt human. Won't hurt, Amiee," the vorcha said in his snarly voice, once again sneaking his arm around me; this time my arm. He watched James out of the corner of his eye while looking at me. "Amiee kind to Garot. Won't hurt."

He smiled . . . kind of, or . . . at least I think he did. I pried my arm from his, wincing as my wounds pulled and took his hand. Hoping James hadn't noticed, I turned to my boyfriend. "Let's get him fed, get some clothes and figure out what we can do to help him, kay?"

"I'm taking you up to the strip. Shepard got us all rooms there, we can get you patched up . . . both of you," James said, looking between us and sighing. "Why can I see this becoming a trend, Muñeca?" He took my hand, pulling me down the alleyway, Garot following behind. "He can't come with us though, it ain't right to take a kid on a warship."

The vorcha whimpered at that. "Shh, it's okay, honey. I'll be around, don't worry. James is right though, I can't take you on the _Normandy_, Shepard would kill me, but what I can do, is ask one of the crew if they know someone that can help, kay?" I said, bringing him to walk beside me rather than behind. "I'm going to fix this for you."

My new ward ducked his head, almost shy. "Garot like you," he said, hissing his words.

I realized that though vorcha speech seemed harsh and animalistic, I could understand him easily, even the tone's and sounds he made without realizing it. Little growls as people got too close to me were protective, some of the purr-like sounds were more soothing, like when I flinched as I looked up, stretching the wound on my neck by mistake.

I smiled at him, catching him watching me, uncertainty making him hesitate. _He needs reassurance. _I could see it in the way he curled in on himself because I hadn't answered. Someone had hurt this kid, hurt him badly. "I like you too," I said, my own words coming out strong and sure. I pulled him into an embrace, wanting to cry as his bony arms wrapped around me, squeezing me for all he was worth.

"Action Man, go buy some clothes that will fit him, kay? I'll take him up to the rooms if you show me where they are." I kept my voice low, knowing that James would understand. Wounded animals needed gentle hands, wounded kids were no different. I knew this from experience. I looked at my boyfriend, trying to express this without saying the words.

"I'll be fine," I whispered when he hesitated. "I'll feed him, patch him up and put him in the shower while you get clothes. Don't worry, I know he won't hurt me, he promised. Didn't you big guy?" I asked Garot, pulling back to stroke his cheek.

He nodded, tentatively reaching out to James. "I protect her." He stood tall, stretching out his frame, and puffed out his chest. A child against a bear, but no less brave than a soldier fighting for his home.

_Come on, Action Man. Work with me here. _I watched James size him up for a long moment, before he nodded, letting out a breath. My own breath whooshed from me, as the two shook hands, James's enveloping Garot's. "Keep her safe, and I'll go shopping."

My boyfriend moved closer to me, bending slowly, his eyes on the vorcha. I raised on tip toes, kissing his softly, showing Garot that I trusted James too. "Go on, we'll be okay, you won't be long." I pressed another kiss to his lips and stepped back, raising my omni-tool. "Can you do the map thing you showed me?"

He sighed, typing on my device before meeting my eyes. "I trust you, Amiee, but I'm going to ask Garrus to meet you . . . just in case." He kissed my cheek and walked away before I could shout at him for babying me.

I shook my head at my slightly over possessive partner, waiting until he vanished out of sight, before turning to face Gatot. "How about we head to the hotel? You know the way?"

* * *

"So, you've taken on a ward already? You're worse than Shepard," Garrus said from his perch beside me on the sofa.

I nodded, listening to the sound of the shower in the other room, just in case Garot needed me. "I couldn't leave him, he needed help."

"That's what she always says," he said, a little laugh in his tone. He looked at me, pulling one of my pigtails. "You know we can't take him with us." His sky-blue eyes met mine, reading me.

I sighed, leaning forward to rest my elbows on my knees. "I know, but I don't know what to do with him. Any suggestions?" I watched the bathroom door as the shower cut off.

"Send him to the refugee camp. I work down there, and James is always around. We can watch out for him and he can help out with the wounded, or pass food out. Make him useful," he said after a long moment of thought. "Pay him, and he can save for an apartment."

The plan sounded perfect. It would help both my ward and those in the refugee camp. I typed on my omni-tool, setting up an account under Garot's name. I transferred half of my wages into it and set up an auto direct. Every time I got paid, Garot would get half. The thought of him having a home and not needing to fight for money made me smile.

"You're too smart for your own good," I said to Garrus, teasing him and leaning back to rest my head on his arm. His armor dug into my cheek, but after the rather . . . trying day, I needed the comfort from my friend. _When the hell did I get so close to the guy? _I smiled. He'd become a little bit of a rock for me, someone to talk to when fear made me seize up, or depression made me cry.

Garot stopped him from making a cocky response by walking out of the bathroom, draped in towels. I stood up, taking his hand and brought him to the sofa, where I'd set up a little med station. I needed to have James or Garrus look at my wounds, but his were more important to me right now. I wanted to make him feel cared for.

"Nice shower?" I asked, smiling now I could actually see his face without all the grime. I dipped my fingers into a pot of medi-gel and dabbed it onto the cut on his face gently. It had began to seep a little now, and I hoped the magic gel would stop it from scarring. "There, all better," I said after a moment. "Hungry?"

James entered the apartment as I asked, his arms full of bags and a smile on his face. "Delivery for ya," he called as he walked over the plush carpeting, dropping the bags at my feet like an offering. "I brought food too, so we don't have to cook today."

I smiled at him, showing my gratitude before diving into the bags and pulling out several items of clothes. "Garot, you wanna go change before we eat?" I asked the still silent vorcha. He nodded, taking a quick glance at the two men before patting my hand and getting up.

I handed him the clothes, wincing as he hesitated. "It's okay, you're safe," I whispered, just low enough for him to hear. His claws wrapped around the cloth, almost reverently, as if he'd never felt the softness of clean, new clothes before. He looked at me, his eyes sad, concern and fear in his eyes. "Go on now, don't worry, I won't leave," I promised.

Once he'd left, I let out a little sigh. "He's terrified," I said to the boys, sitting on the sofa. James joined me and I smiled, sandwiched between them. "We're gonna be giving him a job, in the camp, get him helping people. I want to show him that mugging and killing is wrong, and that he can be more than a . . . what was it you called them? Ward rats?" I shook my head sadly, ignoring my still healing wounds. "I just wish we could help more. That we could save more people."

James took one of my hands in his, and Garrus took the other. "We can't save everyone, Muñeca, but we can help some," James said, brushing his thumb over the back of my hand.

I squeezed their hands as Garot rejoined us, looking nervous but smarter in his new outfit. The black T-shirt and jeans looked good on his lanky frame, and after getting clean, he looked so much better. "Hey handsome," I said, gesturing for him to sit down.

"Garot hungry," he said, flicking his eyes to the bags giving off a gorgeous aroma.

"I know, honey. We'll eat while I tell you our idea and see what you make of it, kay?" I said, wishing I could make him feel more comfortable. I knew it would take time before he eased up and came out of his shell, but he seemed to trust me, if not the boys. I could work with that, and hopefully doing something normal like sharing a meal would show him that he could trust Garrus and James too.

I winked and we dug through the takeout bags together, dishing up spiced meats, rice and warm bread for dipping in the rich sauces. I separated the dextro and levo carefully, remembering what James had told me. _Who knew human food could kill turian? _My mouth watered once the dishes were set. Much to James's chagrin, I picked up a knife and fork, ignoring his comments about prim and proper English girls not eating right.

"Okay boys, let's eat."


	18. Hell's Farewell

"You sure he'll be safe here?" I asked Garrus, watching Garot looking around the small area in the refugee camp he'd been given. "I mean, no one will bully him or anything, right?"

Garrus looked up from the data pad he'd been scanning to meet my eyes. "He'll be fine. I've asked Tactus to watch out for him. He's the medical officer for the turians being sent here from the front lines. He'll put Garot to work, helping the wounded." He looked at his data pad again, his mandibles fluttering and his posture tense.

"What's wrong?" I asked, putting my hand on his arm.

He let out a low hum, his subharmonics vibrating the air a little. "I've been trying to reach my family on Palaven . . .." He sighed. "I haven't heard from them yet."

I squeezed his arm, offering what little comfort I could. I understood, I really did, and I knew that I filled the void my son had left with Garot. I needed someone to care for, someone to love. That part of me, that . . . maternal instinct would always need something to nurture. "You'll find them, Garrus. If anyone can, it's you." I blinked back the tears that welled in my eyes. "Don't give up hope."

He looked down at me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. "I know. We'll look after your boy, even after you go home." He squeezed me tighter, and I rested my head on his shoulder.

I watched my ward touching this and that, exploring his little cubby hole, adding the clothes James had bought to a footlocker at the end of the cot. Content to watch him, I smiled, noticing the way his eyes kept skipping to me, as if checking I hadn't left. I waved a little, smiling.

"Yo, Scars, you getting all cozy with my girl?"

I turned a little, seeing James sat at a table with some other soldiers, cards in his hands and a cocky expression on his face. "Don't lose all your money, and I won't have to go looking for a richer guy," I teased, before sticking my tongue out at him.

"You'll make him growl again," Garrus whispered, his breath tickling my ear.

I grinned. "I know. He also knows that I love him, and no offence, Garrus, but I don't see you that way. You're more of a . . . brother? A spiky brother anyway." I laughed at the slightly offended look on his face, before standing on tiptoe and kissing his scarred cheek. "You know I loves ya though."

"Hey, Muñeca, I'm gonna get jealous," James called, crossing his arms over his chest. He tried to keep his face serious, but failed miserably.

I shook my head and left Garrus to his work. I walked over to James after gesturing to Garot to show him where I would be. Climbing the steps toward him, I arched my brow. "Jealous, Action Man? Of what?" I asked him, sitting beside him. I smiled at his friends, blushing under their scrutiny.

"You getting all cozy with the turian," he pouted playfully. "My feelings are hurt." He pressed his hand to his broad chest, affecting a sorrowful expression.

I leaned over, giving him two kisses on his cheek. "There, now you can't complain. You had more than him." I kissed him again. "And one more, cause I love you." I leaned back in my seat as he chuckled and carried on his game. He seemed to be winning, not that I knew much about the game they were playing, so I just sat, content enough to watch.

I knew we'd be leaving soon. Shepard wanted to head to Grissom. She'd been given a message from Traynor while we'd been on shore leave and had sent us all a message giving us three hours before departure. I didn't want to leave Garot yet, but he seemed to be settling already. He pottered about, handing supplies when asked, wrapping wounds when needed, and finding staff when someone requested them. I felt a swell of pride.

_He's going to be alright. I don't think I'll ever be able to repay Garrus enough for setting this up for me. _

My omni-tool beeped, and I knew the time had come for us to leave. James took my hand, collected his winnings and said goodbye to his buddies, before leading me to Garot. "We'll be back soon, Muñeca. Don't think this is goodbye forever," James said, his voice low. He squeezed my hand, comforting me.

"Garot," I called, gesturing for him to come over, rather than go to him and block the doctors moving around. "We're about to leave, but I wanted to see if you needed anything before we go." I wrapped my arms around his lean frame, hugging him to me and blinking back my tears.

"Amiee come back to Garot?" he asked, fear and pain overlapping in his scratchy voice. "Garot . . . needs Amiee." He ducked his head, pulling back. His sunburst eyes sparkled with tears, and his hands shook as they twisted in front of him.

I cupped his cheek. "I _will _come back, I promise. Besides, do you think buttface one and buttface two would let me die?" I asked, nodding to James and Garrus. I tried to infuse my words with a certainty I didn't feel. I didn't know If I'd be coming back, none of us did. We could all die at any second and for a long moment, I fell silent, thinking about the next mission and what lay beyond that.

_Am I adopting a kid, just to leave him behind like I did with Kye? Am I fucking up another child because I need something to fill the hole my son left? _

James moved closer, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. "She's coming back, don't worry. I'll make sure of it." He nodded, squeezing Garot's shoulder, before pulling me away.

I knew he understood my need to get away. I felt tears burning my eyes. Clearing my throat, trying to get rid of the lump that almost suffocated me, I took one last look at my ward. "Be safe, be good and listen to Tactus," I called, waving to him.

He looked so lost, stood there. I wanted to run back, to promise I wouldn't leave, but I knew I couldn't. A clean break, I needed to get out of there before I broke down. It felt almost as bad as thinking about Kye. Swallowing my tears, I let James lead me to Garrus, letting the two men lead me from the refugee camps and back up to the _Normandy_.

* * *

"So, I heard you adopted a monster, huh?" Joker asked as I lounged beside him in EDI's customary chair.

I looked over, lazily throwing a data pad in his direction. I grinned as he winced. "If you like your bones unbroken, you won't call Garot a monster again. Got it?" I raised my brow, toying with my Carnifex. I shifted slightly, my armor heavy on my tired body. I'd caught a couple of hours sleep on the way to Grissom, and now I sat with Joker, why I have no clue, but it had seemed like a good idea at the time. I think I needed someone light hearted after leaving Garot on the Citadel, someone uncomplicated that I could threaten occasionally. Joker fit that bill.

"Ow, damn it," he grumbled, his hands on the holo interfaces in front of him. "You _want _me to crash the ship?"

"I thought you were some epic pilot that never crashed and could land on a pinhead," I countered, crossing my arms.

He took his cap off for a second, rubbing his hand over his messy hair before replacing it. "I can fly this baby blindfolded," he said, demonstrating by dropping us from FTL without looking.

I braced as I looked out of the window. "Uh, you may wanna use your eyes right now. Who the hell are they?" I asked, pointing towards the ships hovering around the space station.

He cursed, hands moving at lightning-quick speed. "Oh shit. Our systems are tagging the profile as Cerberus. You'll have to take a shuttle down," he said, as the ship rolled slightly, moving into . . . _space clouds? Are they even a thing? _

I got up, running from the bridge. I heard Shepard call for James and me, telling us to meet her in the shuttle bay. My heart pounded, ready for the next mission. I grabbed one of my energy drinks on the way down, popping it open and chugging it down while the elevator took me to the lower deck. I needed the sugar, it kept me sharp, made me focus, and kept me from panicking. Throwing my can into a nearby receptacle, I left the elevator and hurried to the shuttle.

"Here boss lady," I said to Shepard, who nodded. I checked my weapons as James joined us, his helmet hiding his eyes from me. "Ready Action Man?"

He rolled his shoulders. "You know it, Muñeca. Let's show those Cerberus _cabróns _who they're dealing with," he said, boosting me into the shuttle. He sat me down, before joining me in the netted seats. "Yo, Esteban, ready to roll?"

The pilot didn't respond as Shepard joined him in the cockpit. He just lifted us up in one smooth motion. We launched from the _Normandy,_shooting past the Cerberus ships and into the station. Cortez's excellent reflexes and knowledge of his shuttle had us sweeping through without being detected.

Shepard had spoken to the director of the academy, Kahlee Sanders. Cerberus had blocked all access to the station, so we were taking another route, hoping to use and auxiliary cargo port. I didn't know if we'd get the drop on Cerberus, but so far Joker's 'diversion tactics' kept us from being detected. I could hear the sound of cannons and fighters firing, but from my seat I could see nothing.

I could hear Joker over the comms, his gleeful taunting making me grin. _That is one man who loves his job._

"Come and get me!" he shouted, before the comms were cut by him going out of range. James looked at me and we exchanged smiles. Nothing had a hope in hell of catching the _Normandy _while Joker and EDI were at the helm. They were a bloody dream team.

Shepard stood, putting her helmet on. "Keep the shuttle in position. We'll be back," she said to Cortez, before joining us in the back. The shuttle leveled out and she opened the hatch. "Amiee, James, go!" she ordered.

I jumped at the same time as James, landing after a tiny drop. Shepard joined us and we moved, leaving the shuttle behind. We didn't stop in the cargo bay, knowing we didn't have much time before the Cerberus fighters realized that the _Normandy_had only been a distraction. I followed Shepard as she took point, leading us through a set of doors which she locked behind us. Looking around, I saw nothing but metal walls, some burnt and bullet ridden.

_There's been a lot of fighting here, I hope no students got hurt. _

"Commander, I'm locked in a server room around the corner. Cerberus troops are trying to get in," Sanders said over our comms.

James nudged me, signalling for me to follow again. I pulled out my gun, the hair on the back of my neck standing on end. I almost wished for a helmet, even though I hated the claustrophobic effect of them. We moved through the empty corridor, pausing at each side, our weapons ready. We exchanged nods, and Shepard hacked the door.

"Get ready, I've almost got the door." Bursting through at the sound of voices, we raised our weapons as we came face to face with four Cerberus soldiers and an engineer trying to get through another door.

Shepard glowed blue, launching a warp attack, knocking the engineer back. I ran forward with James. Our shotguns discharged, sending rounds slamming into the soldiers. Our shields sparked as we took fire, so without speaking we broke formation and launched ourselves into cover.

I popped up as soon as my shields regenerated, squeezing the trigger of my Scimitar and killing one of the soldiers as Shepard and James finished the others. The smell of ozone and gunsmoke filled the corridor as we moved forward, stepping over the bodies.

"Sanders, we're clear, it's me," Shepard called through the gap in the door the troop had tried to breach.

The door slid open, and we came face to face with a blond woman wielding a shotgun in our direction. We all paused, waiting for her to lower it. Sky-blue eyes met ours one by one, before the gun lowered and she stepped forward.

"Commander, thank you. Admiral Anderson always said you were the best." She looked between us, evaluating us. "And with Cerberus coming for my students, I need the best."

"How many of you are there?" Shepard asked, following Sanders to a console.

Sanders bent to the console. "Fewer than twenty. Most were sent home when news of the Reaper invasion spread. A few volunteered to stay, prototyping tech for the Alliance," she explained, her voice calmer now she had back up. She looked up at us. "Others are . . . biotics. They've been training for military operations, working together as biotic artillery."

Indignation filled me. "You're sending kids to fight? Are you crazy?" I asked, shocked and appalled. Shepard put her hand on my arm, but I shook it off, ignoring her warning look.

_Jesus, I'm grown and even I can't cope sometimes. Kids need to be protected, not turned into cannon fodder. _

"I don't like it any more than you," Sanders said, looking up at me. "But the Alliance needs every resource it can get. Our students are unique . . . resources." Her face locked down, becoming a mask similar to the one Shepard wore when she hated something.

"Kids aren't a damn resource," I snapped my hand cutting through the air.

She sighed, her eyes closing for a second before she met my eyes. "I know that, but they wanted to help. How could we say no when the whole galaxy is falling apart?"

I slumped my shoulders, looking at her. "I'm sorry. I just . . .. Kids need to be protected, and that's why we're here." I shook my head, stepping back.

Beeping alarms broke off her answer. "This is Froeberg. There are students are trapped in Orion hall. Cerberus has us boxed in, they're closing fast!"

Sanders slapped her hand on the console. "Damn it!"


	19. Come Hell Or High Water

Glass cracked, splintered spiderwebs marring the once clear window as I fired my gun, trying to save the boy being dragged away screaming by three Cerberus agents.

_Fuck. Fucking, fuck. Stupid bulletproof piece of shit glass. _I slammed my gloved fist against the window as they left my field of vision. Someone lost so early into the mission. _No more! _

I growled, a low hiss of breath rushing through my clenched teeth. I heard Shepard and James both cursing, before a warm hand landed on my shoulder. I expected James, but when I turned, I came face to face with my commander. Her dove-grey eyes met mine, saying the same thing in my head. _No more. _

I reloaded, turning to face yet another door. Shepard took my left, and James took my right. I knew they had me on point for a reason. This mission just became a mini war for me. I charged forwards, listening to the voice over the station-wide comms, promising safety to any who surrendered.

"Liar," I spat, sliding over the center divide. I didn't stop to wait for the other two to follow me, and I didn't look back. I didn't need to, I already knew they were there, right behind me, watching my six. I ran around a corner, freezing as I heard someone issuing threats. My head swung to the side, taking in the sight of two soldiers pointing their weapons at a kid in a biotic bubble.

Reacting on instinct, I took my Viper from my back, bringing it up and lining up a shot. I met the boy's eyes through the scope before twitching the barrel to the left, scoring a headshot. The second soldier fell as my finger squeezed the trigger, ending his life with a shot to the back of the neck. _It's not enough. _I fired two more rounds, one into the head of each, making sure they couldn't get back up.

"James, calm her down," Shepard said, pushing past me to talk to the boy. Her voice lowered, taking on a soft, placating tone.

James walked over to me, cupping my shoulders in his big hands. "Muñeca, I get that this means a lot to you, but you need to stay calm. Losing your focus is gonna get you killed, and I don't want that," he said, cupping my face. "Just chill, okay?"

I took a deep, cleansing breath, realizing that he understood and wasn't judging me. "'Kay. Sorry, Action Man. I guess . . . I guess it makes me think of Kye." I looked up at him, trying to put my rage into words.

He bent, pressing his helmeted head to my forehead. I let him hold me for a second before turning away, feeling calmer. The boy had lowered his shield, and nodded to us in thanks as he lay down. Shepard whispered a few more instructions to him, before turning away, ready to move.

"Okay, but my sister Seanna is out there somewhere," the kid said, his voice quivering.

I looked down at him. "Don't worry, we'll find her. You just stay safe," I told him, before doing one of the hardest things I'd ever done. I walked away, leaving a child without someone to protect him. Fury still burned in my gut, but I channeled it, cooled it, turned it into a cold rage that pushed me on and gave me even more energy.

We leaped over another center divide, moving into what looked to either be a classroom or an office, I couldn't be sure which, but it didn't matter. Another door opened, and we followed the only route available to us, heading down towards the exit at the bottom of the room. I heard shots fire, my head snapping up just in time to see a student die in front of me.

I screamed in rage, throwing myself forwards, firing into the ranks of soldiers trying to take cover at the sight of us. James and Shepard followed, biotics and carnage working as one to kill as many as I did. I grabbed the last soldier, activating my omni-blade and slamming it into his chest. I snarled into his face, before dropping him, realizing what I'd just done. I stared down at the body of the student, framed by my bloody hands.

_No more, no. But not like this, never like this. Amiee, you may be a soldier, but you're not a brutal killer. _

Shepard said nothing as she crouched, checking for a pulse. I already knew he'd died, but that tiny shake of her head still hurt. I couldn't look anymore. Wiping my hands, I picked up my Viper from where it had fallen and moved through the double doors. I tried to ignore the voice over the comms, but his phoney, sugar sweet tone ground on me. Hearing him tell kids he had their families frustrated me. I couldn't do anything for them, if Cerberus had them . . . they were already as good as dead.

"Stay back, or I'll, I'll . . .." A choked sob broke off the threat. I looked down into a dead end, seeing a young girl curled up on the floor, staring at me. She trembled, her face ashen.

James covered us as Shepard joined me.

"She's hurt, Shepard. She needs help. Now," I said, crouching down and meeting the girls eyes.

"Seanna?" Shepard asked. "Can you hear me?"

Panic and fear filled her voice. "How do you know my name?" Seanna asked, looking at us both. She glanced at James, before groaning a little.

"We saved your brother. He's with Kahlee Sanders at security. Can you get to her?" I asked, moving forward to help her to her feet.

She nodded. "Yeah. I just need to rest for a minute. Thank you." She hobbled away, looking exhausted and terrified.

I gritted my teeth against the hollow feeling in my chest and my hands balled into fists. "C'mon, I wanna find the fucker talking and shoot him in the foot," I grumbled, rolling my shoulders under my armor.

"Commander, I've just got an emergency message from the students in Orion Hall," Kahlee reported through our comms units. "One of our instructors is with them but they can't hold off for long."

Shepard turned to us, her fingers going to her ear. "We're on it."

We sprinted towards the final door that would lead us into Orion Hall and to the students. I could hear the sounds of combat already and my hands tightened around my Viper. The doors opened, and the smell of gunfire and ozone reached my nose.

"Eat this!" shouted a female voice, followed by screams of pain. A woman, covered in tattoos and little else ran into our view, throwing huge biotic attacks at the soldiers running towards her. She had several students behind her, clearly trying to protect them.

She wiped her face, turning towards us, giving us our first look at her face.

"Jack?"

"Shepard?"

Jack started to walk towards us, when the sound of heavy steps drummed through the area. A huge Atlas stomped its way towards one of Jack's students and I called out a warning, fear for the kid clogging my throat. Jack moved, sliding in front of the kid. Her hands came up, coated in violet-blue. The Atlas launched a rocket, and Jack deflected it easily, her biotic bubble stronger than any I'd seen so far.

"Move!" Shepard shouted, firing on the mech, trying to draw its attention.

Jack glowed blue again, her fists clenched. "Everyone get down, this thing's out of your league. Shepard, keep that thing off us," she called, turning to her students and moving them to the balcony above.

I ran with her, targeting the window of the mech, my bullets ricocheting off. I took cover to the left of it, watching as Jack and the students protected themselves with a powerful biotic shield. Now that they were safe, I threw myself into the fight, tossing a grenade at its feet. Shepard launched a warp, staggering it as my projectile exploded, and James added his carnage into the mix. We kept moving, not staying in the same place, trying to take it out before it could target us with its rockets.

"James, another carnage. Amiee, use your Viper, take out the pilot!" Shepard shouted, sliding down into cover behind me. I knelt, using one of the benches to hide while I reloaded. I slammed another heatsink, this time selecting armor-piercing rounds, before using the bench to support me while I lined up my shot.

The Atlas turned towards me and time slowed down. I could almost feel the pilot's eyes on me; a sixth sense that made my skin crawl. My finger slid over the trigger, and after one small breath I fired, sending bullets screaming through the air and into the glass shell protecting the driver. James-using his carnage attack-shattered the glass. Another breath and one more squeeze of the trigger ended the fighting. The pilot slumped in his chair, a hole through his chest.

We stayed in cover for another second or two, listening to the silence, before standing up. I reloaded, just in case, and turned to face the students. The looks of awe on their faces should have made me feel proud of my team as well as my skills, but it didn't. It terrified me. No child should have to see this, and no child should enjoy the sight of death either.

"More on the way!" James shouted, turning around as a bullet slammed into his shield.

"Shepard, keep 'em off us!" Jack bellowed, adding her own biotics to the new fight.

I snarled as my partner took more shots to his shields and activated the adrenalin rush function in my suit. The area blurred around me, becoming hazy. Sound rushed in my ears, like a speeding train, or a plane taking off, and I could feel my heart pounding in my head as I charged forward. Everything around me stayed still, the soldiers moved, sluggish by comparison, no danger to me now. I cut through the three in front of me, loving the way my hands seemed to know where to direct the barrel of my Viper.

"James, cover!" I shouted as a grenade sailed through the air at him. Time fixed itself, returning to normal speed as I tracked the explosive. I could do nothing about it though; I mean, I'm a good shot, but targeting something that small, while moving and under fire?

I rolled, coming up beside Shepard as James found cover behind us. The three of us began to push Cerberus back, biotics from the commander, carnage and incendiary ammo from James, and sniper fire from me. One by one the soldiers fell, their bodies scattered around the room. Sweat beaded on my brow as I inserted my last clip.

"Muñeca!" James shouted, throwing a clip my way.

I caught it and put it on the floor next to me as I threw two of my frag grenades to him. He grinned, and I couldn't help but smile in return. Shepard darted around, her biotics adding to the chaos. In sync with the team, I followed their lead, targeting the Guardians through the little slot in the shields while James took out the Centurions. Shepard didn't differentiate, she just killed whatever came in front of her.

"Clear!" she called a while later, once the room had finally been sealed.

I got up, panting and exhausted, my hands trembling and my gun empty. Slipping my Viper onto my back, I took out my Scimitar, walking forward beside Shepard as she approached the balcony. Looking up, I felt a flood of relief to see that no one had been hurt during the fighting.

Jack leaned on the guardrail, a little laugh leaving her. "Kahlee said she was putting out an SOS, but I had no idea the Queen of the Girl Scouts would show up," she called, before turning to the students. "Alright, amp check. Prangley, those fields were weak. Cerberus isn't gonna lie down out of pity like that girl you took to prom," she said, pointing her finger into the face of one of them. "Grab juice and an energy bar, we move in five." She grinned, before turning and leaping over the barrier. Her biotics shrouded her, absorbing the force of the fall.

Her tattoos caught my eye and I couldn't help staring. Stunning black patterns adorned her skin, trailing over every inch. I would have stared longer . . . if she hadn't punched Shepard in the face. My Scimitar flicked up, aimed at her face in a split second, my finger on the trigger, waiting for Shepard's order.

"Damn it, how many times did I tell you about Cerberus?" Jack snapped, her face a mask of anger and hurt.

I shifted, glaring at her. "Back off," I warned, my voice lower than normal. This woman may be good with her kids, but if she touched my commander again and I'd bitch slap her across the damn hall.

"Hey, Shep, who's the toy soldier?" Jack asked, her voice cocky and full of aggression and sarcasm.

I lowered my gun, handing it to James so I didn't accidentally-on-purpose shoot her in the face. "Listen love, you might be the queen bitch around here, but you'll show some damn respect to the woman that just saved your skinny, rat-ass," I snapped, baring my teeth a little. Call me overprotective, but I wasn't going to let this woman give my commander shit.

She raised one tattooed brow. "And what the hell do you think you're gonna do about it?" she asked, crossing her arms over her barely covered chest. "You don't know shit about me, so keep your damn mouth shut or you'll taste my fist, got it?." Her hands glowed a little, emphasizing her threat.

"Muñeca!"

"Amiee!"

My fist connected with Jack's jaw, sending her head snapping to the side. I shook out the pain, glaring at her as she began to laugh. I'd had enough, seeing kids die, hearing how the so called super-good, mega-brave Alliance wanted kids to go to war, and finally this inked up, punk wannabe trying to be a smart arse . . .. Yeah, I wasn't in the mood.

Shepard and James tried to pull me back, both glaring at me, but Jack stopped them. "Princess, you need to punch harder than that if you wanna piss me off, but I like you for tryin'," she said, winking at me. "If you can help get my kids out of here, I'll even buy you a drink, or some ink."

My mouth dropped open as Shepard laughed , letting me go. "Always making new friends, Jack," the commander said, shaking her head. "I knew you and Amiee would get along."

"Hell, Shep, you pick up some freaks," Jack said, looking at me closely. "I kinda like this one, not many would take on the Psychotic Biotic."

I rolled my eyes. "Well, ain't that cute, you've given yourself a nickname."

James and Shepard groaned in unison. "Really?" Shepard asked me, rubbing her brow. "Just . . . go over there and gather up some heat sinks or something," she ordered, letting out a sigh.

Feeling like a scolded child, I stomped off, shooting angry looks at the tattooed woman as she spoke to Shepard.

_Stupid cow. Honestly, we come in, save her punk-ass and she punches Shepard. I mean, who the hell does that? Hey, I know, I'll punch you in the face instead of saying hello. Yeah, cause that's normal. Dumbass. Jesus Christ on a krogan._

Picking up several heatsinks, grenades and a data pad, I loaded myself up and carried some extra to James, muttering obscenities both under my breath and in my mind. I had to kind of respect the woman in a way. She'd taken a frickin' rocket for her kids, but even so, punching my commander wasn't exactly the best way to make me be your friend.

"Nice punch," James whispered, winking at me. He took several clips from my hands, adding them to his belt before taking my knuckles between his hands. "Least you didn't dislocate it this time, but then again, her jaw isn't as thick as mine," he said, raising the bruised area to his mouth and kissing it softly.

"Amiee, I need you go go with Jack to the top level. James, you're with me on the ground," Shepard called, making me groan out loud.

"Welp, don't expect me back any time soon, Action Man. I can see the 'Psychotic Biotic' causing me some problems," I said, squeezing his hand before moving away, reluctance in every step.

_If she calls me princess again, I swear . . .. _

"Hey, Princess, let's go."

_Oh, you are so dead. _


	20. Hell's Children

"Come on, Princess, keep up. These kids are makin' you look bad," Jack called from the head of the group.

I growled for the millionth time in the past five minutes. "Rear guard. As in at the bloody back!" I shouted, gripping my Scimitar as if it were her neck. I helped one of the kids jump over a barricade, before returning my glare to her ink covered back.

"Just cause you're at the back, doesn't mean you get to stare at my ass," she taunted, slapping said ass.

I rolled my eyes. "As if I'd want your skinny rat ass," I snapped, thinking of all the ways I could whoop her ass. If glares were weapons, Jack would have died the moment she opened her mouth.

_This woman has to be the most . . .. There just aren't words. _

"Okay kids, we're going out. Keep your shields up, kick ass and don't get killed," she called to the group, gathering them into a brood around her. "Keep it tight, you're a team, work together. Princess, use your sniper and protect them."

Her eyes met mine and in them I saw fear; a primal, deep-seated fear, one that I don't think she ever wanted anyone to see, but she couldn't hide it from me. I knew that fear all too well, it lay within the heart of every parent for their children. Nodding my head, I silently gave my word that she would lose no one on this mission.

She brushed past me, signalling for us to form up. "Okay, let's show these fu . . . uh, freaks what a squad of biotics can do!"

The doors opened and we swarmed through, the kids arranging themselves in teams of two. I took the highest point of the slightly arched balcony, setting up my Viper as Shepard and James burst through into the garden-like area. Slamming in a heatsink, I took a deep breath.

Jack joined me, looking down the lines of kids, shouting out directions. Cerberus soldiers began their assault, using turrets, mechs, shields and overwhelming numbers to keep the ground team from advancing.

I watched for a moment, the roar of battle in my ears. The kids sent warps and singularities flying, slamming the soldiers back. Keeping my movements calm and unhurried-even though fear had my heart racing-I began to sweep the field.

_Engineers first, don't let them set up their turrets. _

I spotted one trying to duck out of cover. Targeting him, I gently squeezed the trigger. The stock slammed into my shoulder, and the engineer's head exploded. I jerked my barrel to the left. James ran from cover, sliding over a grassy bank and smashed the butt of his gun into another engineer's head. I shouted as I caught sight of the turret targeting him, but couldn't get a shot.

_Move, Action Man! _

"Watch your back, pretty boy!" Jack shouted from the a few feet away. Her hands glowed blue, and she let a huge wave of biotics go roaring down towards James.

The Marine ducked just in time, spinning around to see the turret. The biotic energy hit, smashing the deadly weapon to pieces. Jack whooped, egging the kids on, spurring them to even greater heights.

Wave after wave of soldiers came through the doors, some targeting us, some targeting Shepard and James, but we steadily ate into their ranks. The kids were tiring, I could tell, but they didn't give up, they just switched out in their teams, one resting, one fighting.

"Shepard, we're moving up to the next balcony, move your ass," Jack shouted, before turning to us all. "Alright, you did good, but I wanna see more focused attacks, and that means you Rodriguez." The biotic glared, her stance stiff.

_Jesus, does this woman ever take a damn chill pill? _

I let out a sigh, watching James and Shepard until they were out of sight. Jack led the way through the next area, her hands seeming to drip with biotic energy. I could tell her concern for her kids had started to get to her, and decided to bite the bullet and attempt to calm her down. I needed her to focus, to help me get them to safety.

_Fucking hypocrite, Amiee. Wasn't it you going all Rambo on the soldiers before? _

Walking next to her, I kept silent for a few seconds, allowing her a chance to speak. When she didn't, I cast a look at her out of the corner of my eye. "How long have you been teaching?" I asked, mentally rolling my eyes at the lameness of the question.

She snorted, raking her hand over her short hair. "Few months, I guess. The Alliance thought I'd be better off here than in another freezer," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "They're good kids. Some of them act pretty stupid, but they learn quick, makes my job easier."

The pride in her tone made me want to smile, but I kept my face placid. "You've taught them well, they worked great together out there," I said as we moved into another corridor. "You should have faith in them."

"I do . . .. I just don't think they're ready for the front lines. I don't wanna have to watch them die cause the Alliance brass thinks it's okay to send kids up against Reapers," she said, her voice lowering so the kids wouldn't hear.

I glanced at her. "Then maybe have them at the back, you know? Like, shielding, supporting, that kind of stuff. They don't have to see any actual action, and they can help save lives," I suggested. I didn't like the idea of them being in battle any more than Jack did, but at least if they stayed back they had a chance of surviving.

She growled a little, slamming her hand onto a door to open it. "You think the Alliance cares? I don't. They won't give a fuck as long as they have someone to throw in front of the Reapers. The only reason I agreed to this job is because of Shepard. I don't trust the Alliance any more than I trust Cerberus."

"Cerberus?" I asked, cocking my head to the side.

Gunfire exploded around us as we entered another large area, and the only reason I didn't take a hit was due to Jack's quick reaction. She threw up a barrier, glaring as she took in the sight of Shepard and James being overwhelmed.

"That's a fairy tale for another time, Princess," Jack snapped. "Up top kids. Barrier up, stick together." She kept her barrier up as we made the run to another balcony, keeping me covered as Shepard and James drew the Cerberus soldiers attention away from us.

Once we'd reached the relative safety of higher ground, she teamed up the kids again. Coming to stand next to me, she threw a fierce grin my way. I returned it, before pressing the stock of my Viper to my shoulder and sighting down the scope.

The intensity of battle consumed me, making time irrelevant as I supported the ground team, keeping soldiers from getting behind them. I don't know how many times I had to reload during the fight, but my shoulder ached and my ears rang from the noise. I ducked down to reload again, when I heard a cry of pain.

Jumping to my feet, I caught sight of Rodriguez taking a hit. She fell to the floor, blood pouring from her arm. Jack snarled, charging forward at the same time I did, both of us covering the wounded girl. I killed the soldier that had somehow managed to creep up on us, while Jack dragged her backwards, scolding her along the way.

"Damn it, I told you to keep your barriers up!" she shouted at the sobbing girl, adding her own biotics to Prangley's, reinforcing his weakened barrier. "Next time I tell you to do something, you damn well do it. Prangley, slap some medi gel on her."

Jack rejoined me, both of us standing close to the now weakened team, protecting the broken link of the chain. I took the heatsink Jack handed to me, slamming it into the cartridge of my Viper before settling back into the rhythm of sweep, fire, sweep, fire, reload. Smoke burnt my eyes making taking aim difficult, but I blinked away the soot, sagging in relief as the battle ended.

Shepard looked up, catching our eye. "Everyone okay?"

"Rodriguez took a hit to the arm because she didn't keep her damn barriers up," Jack shouted back. "Keep moving, she's fine. We'll meet you near the shuttle bay."

James waved at me as Shepard once again led him from my sight. It felt wrong for me to be away from them . . .. Almost like I had lost a limb or something. I couldn't explain the unease that rippled through me, sending the hair on the back of my neck on end.

I shook it off, taking point as Jack took the rear. I followed the little map on my omni-tool, using Jacks called out directions as well as Shepard's suit locator to guide me. The kids whispered amongst themselves, all of them in awe of Jack and Shepard. I grinned, almost smelling the hero worship in the air.

"We've got hostiles ahead," I shouted to Jack over the sound of gunfire from the next room. Exchanging my Viper for my Scimitar I groaned, hearing the sound of a mech. "I'm going to join Shepard, she'll need the help with the Atlas." I waited for Jack's nod before taking the next fork in the path as they ran for the balcony that connected with the shuttlebay.

My feet pounded on the floor, eating up the distance between me and my team. I skidded into a large hall, spotting the students and Jack already covering behind a huge biotic barrier. I turned, seeking out my team.

I caught sight of the Atlas's driver and my mouth dropped open in shock. Shepard had somehow managed to get her hands on an Atlas and her rockets exploded around me as she fired at the troops heading my way.

"Fuck yeah donkey!" I shouted, charging forward. I joined up with James, a savage grin on my lips. Now I had rejoined my team, energy filled me, sending me hurtling through the Cerberus ranks. I darted around, diving from cover to cover, throwing grenades for the students to pick up and direct with their biotics.

Shepard fired another rocket, making me duck as it passed by, heating my cheek. Behind me I heard the explosion, but trusted my commander enough to know she had my back. I ducked to the side, taking cover behind a pillar as more soldiers dropped down using their rocket boots to slow their assent.

"To the left!"

"Straight ahead!"

"Behind you!"

Shouts, death cries, and the sounds of the mech overwhelmed me, heating my blood, sending me into a frenzy. Energy seared my veins as soldier after soldier fell in front of me. My shields couldn't handle the amount of fire I took, quickly failing leaving me open to injury. I had nowhere to cover, nowhere to hide. Another Atlas stomped it's way into the area, and a cold chill settled on my spine.

Everything froze, even the sounds around me falling to silence. I brought up my shotgun, grinning as my shields flickered to life.

James came to my left, Shepard in her Atlas to my right and together we charged the mech, our weapons ripping through it's shields and into the metal plating. Our weapons joined the symphony of biotics slamming into the mech, our war cries the crescendo as it jerked and sparked, electricity flaring in its death.

"Move!"

I threw myself back as it exploded, shrapnel and fire tearing through the air, barely missing me as I landed hard on the floor. My breath exploded from my body and stars danced behind my eyes. I rolled, scrambling to my feet. I trembled, the heat battle burning me. Looking around, I waited for orders.

Jack had been sending the students through to the shuttles in pairs, and the only two left were the two from earlier; Rodriguez and Prangley. She ordered them to move, before turning to us. "Come on Shep, we ain't got all day," she called before vanishing from sight.

Shepard climbed from the Atlas, giving it a fond pat on the arm, before heading towards the final door that would take us away from the chaos. James bent, slipping something into one of his pockets before taking my hand and leading me to the shuttles.

I watched as the students entered the two shuttles, splitting up as more joined us. Kahlee waited for us by the first, her face tight and concerned. James patted her arm as he entered the shuttle, folding his large frame into the cramped space.

"Shit!"

I turned at the sound of cursing and gunfire, watching as Prangley and Rodriguez came sprinting towards us, Cerberus soldiers on their heels. Shepard ran to the window, hammering it with the stock of her gun, shouting something about cover fire. Jack growled, throwing a wave of biotics to the window, shattering it. She leaped through, sprinting forwards to protect the wounded girl who slid into cover behind a bench.

I followed, vaulting over the window, not caring as glass cut into my palms. My legs moved under their own steam, instinctively heading toward Prangley. I raised my Scimitar and shot one of the soldiers.

The round pierced his throat, sending him stumbling back into one of the others.

Stuffing Prangley under my arm like an NFL ball, I spun around, and charged back to the shuttles, my shields covering us both. Throwing him to Shepard, I watched in awe as Jack let loose a huge explosion of biotics, ripping the soldiers apart in a gruesome display of power. She didn't even blink as she scooped up Rodriguez and joined me by the shuttle.

"Thanks" she said, nodding approvingly.

I grinned. "Any time, Princess." I climbed into the shuttle that held James, Shepard, Kahlee and several of the kids I'd helped escape. They all gave grateful, if tired smiles, all looking extremely proud of themselves. "You all did amazing, thanks for the support," I said, knowing the praise would mean a lot to them.

"I agree," Kahlee said, her voice soft and thoughtful. "Maybe they are ready for the front lines after all." She looked at Shepard, who fell silent for a moment.

I exchanged looks with Jack, and I knew my expression matched hers. _Fear_.

"I think they should stay back from the fighting like they did here. Offer shielding, and long range attacks. I don't think the front lines is the best place for them." Loud protests met my words, but I silenced them with a wave of my hand. "You all did really well, I should know, I was with you. But, I _have_been on the front lines, I _know _how bad it gets. Can you imagine getting bitten by a husk? Or charged by a brute? Do you even know what a brute is?"

James squeezed my hand, his eyes showing me that he remembered how close I'd come to dying.

Shepard stood straighter. "I agree with Amiee. You are all brilliant, and some of the tech I've seen today is phenomenal, but at the same time, I think a group of kids on the field is wrong. I think you should be support only."

The loud protests were once again cut off, only that time by Jack. "Hey, we'll still see some action, don't worry," she said, a grin lighting up her face. "Now, when we get back, I'm getting us all inked. Amiee can have a fairy princess, 'n' how about a pony for Rodriguez?"

I laughed. "I would suggest you have another, but I don't think you've got room. I'll let you ink me though," I said crossing my arms.

"I've got room . . .. Nowhere you can see, not unless you're fu-" She broke off, looking around at the grinning students.

"Let me guess, swear jar?" Shepard asked.

"Jack has agreed to keep her language at the desired level of professionalism for teaching as part of her agreement for the post," Kahlee said, trying to hide her smile.

"Hey Jack, when you empty your swear jar, can we have the money? I reckon we could afford a whole new ship," I said leaning back to rest on James's chest. His arms came around me as Jack glared.

"Kids, cover your ears," the biotic said, waiting until they'd done so. She winked. "Fuck you, Amiee."

"You wish, Jack."

"Later," James whispered in my ear, making me blush like crazy, much to the amusement of everyone on the shuttle.

The banter continued as our shuttle followed the other, carrying us away from the station and back to our ship. Jack ended up having to promise to add more to the swear jar, something I felt proud about, being the one who'd made her swear. James fell asleep holding me, and Shepard spoke quietly to Kahlee, talking about Admiral Anderson and what he'd been doing since she'd left him on Earth.

I shifted closer to James, resting my head against his neck. _Thank god we saved as many as we did. _I watched them sipping their juice boxes, pride filling me. I'd helped save this group of incredibly talented students, and after so much fighting, I felt a little more hopeful.

_Maybe we can win this war after all. _


	21. Sweet Hell

**_A/N *Cough* Some smut ahead peoples. I kept it relatively PG, but thought I'd give y'all a little warning, just in case you don't wanna read it. :) Please leave reviews, I love reading them and they really give me the confidence to keep writing this. Enjoy! _**

* * *

"You're moping."

I rolled my head to the side to look at Shepard. "No,I'm not," I said, my voice petulant. "I'm . . . musing."

She rolled her eyes, stretching out even more. "Amiee, you may have Vega fooled, but you can't hide it. What's wrong?"

I sat up, stretching out my arms. We'd been working out for hours, trying to burn off energy, and now lay side by side on one of the training mats in the cargo bay, both exhausted and covered in sweat. Letting out a sigh, I rubbed the back of my neck; a habit I'd picked up from James.

"I honestly don't know. I can't exactly put my finger on it, but something feels . . . missing, I guess," I whispered, my shoulders slumping. "It's like, something . . .. Hell, I dunno,Shepard."

Her hand landed on my shoulder, the warmth soothing my suddenly chilled skin. "Maybe Doctor Chakwas can help, she's better at this than I am."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Shepard, you speak to every single crew member, every single day. You get their secrets like a spy or some shit. I dunno how you do it. It's like . . . space magic." I covered her hand with my own. "You care about them all so much, even me, and I'm not supposed to be here."

She rested her head on our joined hands for a few seconds, before popping to her feet. Her unlimited supply of energy made me smile a little. She held her hand out, a look of expectation on her face. I wanted to flop back and sleep, but knew she wouldn't allow it. Letting out a huff of breath, I grabbed her hand and let her pluck me from the floor.

"You need cheering up," she said, her voice matter of fact.

I sighed. "The last time you decided to cheer me up, I ended up drunk and fell asleep in the main battery. Garrus still hasn't forgiven me for throwing up on his bloody gun," I said, wincing at the memory.

I didn't mention the Prothean talking that happened again. The crew accepted it as something that happened when I was either in pain, drunk or really, really mad. The 'Amiee moments' weren't really talked about, but the frequency of the occurrences scared me. I knew I needed to see both Javik and Liara again, but the thought of letting them into my mind . . .. I thought about the huge stack of data pads hidden under my bed, all full of notes that I don't remember writing.

_I don't want them to see all that . . .. They'll think I'm frickin' crazy. _

Shepard pulled my hand, dragging my attention back to her. "Where did you go?" she asked, her voice soft and questioning.

"Nowhere, just thinking," I said, my throat tight.

She stared at me for a long time, before nodding. "Okay, you're going to the doctor now," she said, her tone brooking no argument.

I didn't have the energy to resist, not against Shepard. I sighed, scooping up my water bottle and made my way to the elevator. By the time I'd entered and turned around, Shepard had already started working over James's punching bag, her body moving fluidly as she threw her punches.

The doors closed, cutting off my view of her and I slumped against the cold wall. My sports bra and yoga pants offered no protection from the metal, but I didn't care. I closed my eyes, listening to the silence that even EDI didn't interrupt. Times like this freaked me out, I hated being alone; being alone gave me time to think. I began to question, thinking about the reactions of my friends and how almost . . . robotic they seemed sometimes, especially when I had an 'Amiee moment'.

_It's like they're programed to miss it, or to accept it. I mean, it's a game, yeah, but think about it, shouldn't they at least question? Is this some kind of contingency built in just in case? Why do I speak Prothean? Is it another glitch? Why the hell do I keep finding the notes to myself? Am I going crazy? What the hell is wrong with me? _

My inner musing halted when I felt warm hands on my cheeks. I opened my eyes to meet a pair of dark, chocolate ones. "James?"

"_Mi __Muñeca __bonita_, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice low and husky. His thumbs ran over my cheeks, wiping away the tears I didn't know I'd cried. He pulled me into his arms, his hands on my lower back. "_Por favor, no llores_."

I let him hold me for a moment, soaking up the comfort he offered. "I think we're holding the elevator up," I sniffed, wiping my eyes.

He shook his head, a soft huff of breath leaving him. "I was coming to get you. I noticed you've been feelin' down 'n' thought I'd do somethin' special for you," he said, his voice thick. He scooped me up, settling me into his arms and carried me towards the observation room.

"James, I can walk," I protested, a reluctant smile tugging the corner of my mouth up.

James didn't answer, just entered the room and asked EDI to lock it behind us. He dimmed the light, juggling me slightly to use his hand on the switch, before setting me down. Our lips met, both reaching to one another without the need to say a word.

His tongue met mine, the taste of him making me dizzy as he pulled me closer. "_Te quiero tus labios,_" he whispered against my lips. His large hands framed my face, keeping me a willing prisoner.

I held his hips, using them for support as my legs felt weak and I began to shake. My heart raced, the heat of him warming me to the core. He broke the kiss, resting his forehead to mine, his eyes closed. A stream of breathless spanish left him, words I didn't understand, but held to my heart anyway, because they were his.

I pulled back and looked up, my eyes half-mast, my lips tingling. "I need a translator," I whispered. "I love your language, but I want to know what you're saying to me." I ran my hands up his arms, caressing his silky-smooth skin.

"Later," he breathed. His lips met mine and heat cascaded through me, making me reach for more, only to moan as he stopped to whisper in my ear. "First, I have a surprise." He moved aside, showing me a nest of blankets and pillows spread out in front of the huge window.

"James?" I stammered, blushing crimson. I let him take my hand, leading me to the makeshift bed. My teeth worried my lip, nerves making the hair on my arms stand on end. _Don't panic . . .. Please, don't freak out, _I chanted in my head. I trusted James, but intimacy . . . we'd never exactly been friends.

"Muñeca," he purred, pulling me down into his arms, my back to his chest. "I want to make you feel good, but I'm no good with words. I am good with my hands though, and I thought-" He stopped, rubbing the back of his neck. "I wanted to give you a massage, then hold you through the night. I can't stand to hear you cryin' alone anymore." His lips brushed my ear making me shiver.

His hands moved up my arms, kneading in small circles, almost as if testing or asking permission. I nodded, feeling his slight moan of approval ripple through my back. He shifted, lying me on my front and unhooking my bra. He brushed my hair aside, before disappearing for a second. I didn't have long enough to tense before he came back, kneeling beside me, his hands returning to my skin.

"This has lavender, spearmint and sandalwood in it," he told me, running slow sweeps of his palms up either side of my spine. "It'll help you relax."

The scents filled the room, assailing my nose and making me moan. The mix of his skin on mine, the pressure of his fingers and the smell sent waves of languorous pleasure into every fiber of my being. I moaned, husky and broken, as I sank into the sensation; I felt like I floated in a cloud of feathers, each one cradling and caressing my body.

He chuckled. "_Mi __mujer hermosa,_" he whispered. "My beautiful woman."He increased the pressure and I almost purred, turning into melted butter. I let out a small chuckle, picturing myself like a cat having its belly rubbed, sprawled out without shame for fuss. Once he'd spread the oil, he kneaded my muscles, working the knots until I couldn't even think straight anymore.

I could have sprawled there for hours, letting him ease my worries away, but the burning ball of desire in my chest rose with each sweep of his hands, making it difficult to even breathe. I tried to hold it back, but I was a slave to my need and I couldn't help but roll over. For him, I felt no shame, I felt only the need to touch him as he touched me, to show him how much he meant to me.

His eyes moved over my body like the rays of the midsummer sun, warming me, setting every nerve on fire with the desire and love in that scrutiny. I held out my hands, but he didn't take them, instead he tugged off his shirt pulling me into his arms to straddle his lap.

"This is at your pace, Muñeca. You tell me how fast and how far," he whispered, his hands carding into my hair and cupping my head. "I promise, if you want me to stop, I will."

I shifted a little, settling more comfortably on his lap as my thighs tightened around his hips. I leaned down, kissing him softly, learning his lips as if for the first time. My hands roamed his chest, dancing over the firm skin, tracing the sweeps and dips of his muscles until he growled, impatience and need coloring the desperate sound. We panted, our lips inches apart, his breath fanning my cheek. I lifted into him, nipping his bottom lip gently, grinning a sly, wicked little grin as I felt his body respond.

"You make me want so much," I whispered, rocking my hips against his. "Touch me." The friction sent another lick of heat through me, and I cried out as his hands cupped my breasts, teasing the soft flesh until the tips begged for his touch. "Please." The words ripped from me as his mouth dipped down to capture the peak between his lips.

He let his hands wander freely, tracing my waist first before testing the curve of my hips with his palms. My ribs and stomach received the same attention, not a single inch left without the searing warmth trailing behind his sinful hands. My hands rooted to his shoulders, clinging to their strength as his hands tossed me into a stormy sea of sensation. The delicious friction of skin on skin, the heady swells of passion, the thundering of my own heart threatened to wash me away, and so I held tight to him. My safe harbour.

I wanted more, but couldn't speak, so I let my fingers spear into his mohawk, tugging his mouth to mine, telling him with my tongue how much I needed him. Our clothes fell to impatient fingers, leaving us bare to one another, no barriers, no shields, nothing but each other. I adored his body with my hands and mouth, he worshipped mine with his, heat rising with every kiss or touch exchanged.

James whispered words of encouragement in both his language and my own, praising me until I felt no insecurity, fear or doubt. His dark eyes meeting mine, he rose above me, his arms taking his weight. "Are you sure?" he asked, his voice tight, strained and gravely.

"Yes." The words came without hesitation, and as we joined, I knew this man had my heart, body and soul. With him, in that single moment of star-like light, I realized that this had been what I felt missing, this connection, this second in time where another soul joined with mine. I needed that feeling of completion, and James had given it to me, selflessly, honestly and without reservation.

His lips met mine as we moved in unison. "_Te amo, con todo mi corazon y el alma,_" he whispered against them, the words reaching into my heart and claiming my soul.

"I love you too."

I had found my missing piece.


	22. Hell's Calling

"Lookin' good, Shep," I teased, watching my commander fuss with her dress blues.

She grimaced into the mirror. "I just don't see why I can't wear my armor. It's Wrex, for God's sake, he won't care if I look professional or not," she grumbled, tugging at the dress jacket sleeves. She raked her fingers through her crimson locks, scraping them back into a tight pony tail, before letting a few strands loose to frame her face. "Okay, how do I look?"

I stood up from my perch on the sofa in her room, walking around her in a circle. I brushed a scrap of lint from her sleeve, before nodding approvingly. "Looking good, hon." Crossing my arms and leaning against her fish tank, I met her eyes. "So, who else is coming?"

"Wrex, of course, representing the krogan. I can't wait for you to meet him, he'll love you," she said, letting out a chuckle before turning serious again. "The Primarch will be there for the turians. The asari won't come, so they're out, so that leaves the Salarian Dalatrass." The tone of her voice soured.

"You don't like the Dalatrass?" I asked, moving aside as she walked to pass me.

She shook her head, pressing the button for the elevator. "I can just see this being a clusterfuck. They all hate each other, and trying to get them to work together is going to be like trying to ride a reaper."

The mental image of that statement flashed into my head and I giggled, picturing Shepard, dressed like a cowgirl sitting on the back of a bucking reaper. She looked at me, her brow quirking in query, but I shook my head.

We both tapped in time as we waited for the elevator to take us down to the shuttle bay to meet Wrex, our fingers drumming little beats of impatience. Our eyes met and we laughed again, both shaking our heads. I leaned my head back, closing my eyes as the elevator made its slow-ass way down.

Once we'd _finally _left the thing, we hurried into the shuttlebay. I winced as a booming voice ripped through the air, excitement and pleasure in the deep, growling tone.

"Shepard!"

"Wrex!"

"Shepard."

"Wrex."

"Amiee?" I interrupted, feeling tiny in comparison to the giant krogan. His red armor gleamed in the dim lighting, matching his crimson eyes. I blinked, craning my neck to look at him as he scrutinized me. I kept my gaze steady, studying him as intently as he studied me, taking in his scars, claws, scales and hump. I let a grin spread across my lips.

"Who's this cocky pyjack?" he asked Shepard, his huge shoulders bouncing as he moved.

I let out a sigh. _Annnnd here we go_. "Wanna tell me what the hell a pyjack is, dino?" I asked, letting some sarcasm into my tone. _What's the best way to deal with someone bigger than you? Show no fear. _I looked at him again. _May have a problem with this dude . . .._

Wrex laughed, a deep belly laugh. "A pest!" he bellowed. "Small, annoying and always getting into trouble. You don't have plates to protect you when that trouble comes, Pyjack."

I grinned. "Plates and spikes are totally sexy, but I don't think I could pull off the look." I met his gaze again, seeing amusement sparkling in the depths. "Do you?"

_I keep meaning to get my haircut, but getting it past James . . .. He loves the bloody stuff too much. _

Wrex clapped me on the shoulder, and I swear I sank into the metal plating of the deck by at least two inches. "Humans are too squishy, some plates would do you good," he rumbled, his hand smacking into me a couple more times, each one making me wince.

Shepard decided to intervene, thankfully _before_I ended up going through the floor. "Okay, okay, don't break my new recruit. Wrex, this is Amiee, she's . . . doing her N7 training with Vega."

The lie slipping easily off her tongue almost made my mouth drop open. Fighting to keep my face calm as if I knew what the hell she was talking about, I nodded.

"N7 huh? She's too small, she'll be squashed," Wrex said, eyeing me up again.

"Hey, I've fought and killed bigger than you," I grouched, my temper flashing. _Well, kind of killed it . . .. Blowing myself up at the same time totally counts. _

Shepard let out a laugh. "She has too, blew herself up in the process, but still."

_Yeah, not helping, Shep. _I sighed again, raising my brow. "Hey, didn't you get smacked around by that Cerberus bloke the other day?" I asked, deliberately bringing up the Benning mission. My arm ached in memory, still not quite healed from the bullet I'd taken protecting two civilians.

My commander blushed, ducking her head, much to Wrex's amusement. "Okay, enough of that. Let's go, Wrex," my still-red commander said, refusing to meet either of our eyes.

"Oh no, you can't take the piss out of me and not expect it back," I said, poking her in the arm.

"Take the piss? Why would you . . .." Wrex looked oddly curious for a second, before a knowing look crossed his features. It took me a second, but I realized why.

"Not like that! It's a figure of speech," I protested, raising my hands and backing away.

He looked at me for a moment. "I don't understand you humans. You should hear about the krogan mating ri-"

I cut him off, covering my ears. "No, no, no. La la la la la!" I shouted, drowning him out. "TMI! TMI!"

"The Illusive man? What's he got to do with krogan mating?" Wrex asked, looking genuinely baffled.

"Not TIM, TMI! Too much information," I said, my words muffled to my own ears.

Shepard burst out laughing, bending at the waist to clutch her stomach, giggles rippling from her as she panted. I exchanged looks with Wrex, even smiling as Shepard hiccuped, trying to calm herself.

"Hey, Commander, I don't mean to break up your tea party, but the Dalatrass is pacing. You might wanna come and you know, calm her down . . .. Or shoot her, whatever saves my carpets," Joker said, his voice echoing through the large bay. "I miss the days when you video called these people. Hanging up on them is so much easier."

Dual sighs escaped the two. Shepard picked at her uniform again. "Okay, let's do this. Amiee, I have a feeling we're gonna be heading out, get armored up. You and Javik are on this one with me."

I nodded and watched the two walk away, listening to their loud talks about killing thresher maws . . . whatever the hell they were. I wandered over to the arms chest, pulling out my armor and stripping to my shorts and tank.

"Muñeca!"

I turned, smiling as James swaggered towards me, a smile on his face. _God, when he looks at me like that . . .. _I blushed and smiled back. "Hey, Action Man. You okay?"

He stopped in front of me, drawing me into his arms and kissing me softly. He chuckled when I moaned, unable to help myself. When he drew away, he stroked my cheek and slipped something around my neck. Metal tinkled pleasantly, but his hand covered the object, hiding it from my view.

"I made you something," he whispered, blushing a little himself. "You didn't have any tags,so I uh, made you some." He dropped his hand, rubbing the back of his neck.

I looked down, picking up the dog tags he'd put around my neck. "Oh, James. I didn't need tags, I'm not even supposed to be here," I stammered, my face heating.

James shook his head. "I made these out of the mech from Grissom. You do belong here, the fact you kicked it's ass, shows everyone that." He smiled, pride and love softening his face. "You're gonna to be amazin', Amiee."

"James . . .."

"Not hearing it, Muñeca. Shepard agrees with me. She wouldn't have you here if she didn't think you weren't up for it."

I looked down at the tags, reading my name, ship name and rank over and over. Something settled in my chest and I knew that I could do it. I had James beside me and I knew he would support and teach me everything I needed to know. "Thank you, James" The doubt in my chest died, withered away by the faith James held in me.

He grinned, sweeping me up and spinning me around. "Anytime, babe," he said, happiness making his voice rumble. He kissed me, stealing my breath away, before putting me down again. "You just have to keep doin' what you're doing. Some missions, me 'n' you will be goin' on our own, so Shepard can see how we handle it."

The thought of being trusted enough to go on solo missions with James made my stomach cramp. "James . . . what if I fuck it up?"

He brushed his fingers over my cheek again, letting them drop to trace the metal of the tag. "Muñeca, I trust you with my life. So does Shepard, Garrus . . . hell, even Javik. Don't doubt yourself, chica." His lips descended, silencing any further protest I could've made.

_You win this round, buttface. _

"Do all primitives need to display their . . . affections in such a disgusting manner?"

"Javik, please tell me you didn't just call me a primitive again," I purred, my lips barely a breath from James's.

My Action Man laughed, gently guiding me back to the arms locker. "Get ready, baby," he told me, before turning back to the prothean. "Hey, Buggy, you have a girlfriend back in your time?"

I snorted, choking back a giggle as I strapped on my chest plate. Javik's response I missed, due to Shepard charging back into the room, the krogan at her heels.

"Amiee, move it, we're heading out. Joker's dropping the shuttle over Sur'kesh," she snapped, striding over to the weapons bench. She picked up several weapons, strapping the to her armored body. "I'll brief you in the shuttle."

_What I wouldnt give to be able to get this stuff on as fast as she does. _I sighed, dragging on my boots, making sure the clips on my legs had locked. "Hey, James, come do up the back for me," I shouted, struggling into my gauntlets.

"Pyjak can't even dress herself, Shepard," Wrex laughed, doing the clasps on my back up.

"Hey, is your name James? I can do it, but 'Miss Let's Go Now' wants me to be ready ten minutes ago," I grumbled, catching the Scimitar Shepard threw my way. I tucked it into my lower back, before holding out my hand for my Viper. "James, you fix the left lean?" I asked, looking up at him.

"Sure did. Just a bit of grit in the firing mechanism. I'm gonna teach you how to clean your guns," he said, handing me several heat sinks.

Shepard threw some grenades, knowing I'd catch them. "She has you wrapped around her little finger, James. You need to watch that one," she said, nodding at me.

I took the medi-gel pack from Javick, ignoring his sneer. "Hey, what are you implying?"

Dove-grey eyes met mine, the silvery depths sparkling. "Nothin', just I've noticed James cleans all your guns for you, and paints your armor, and fixes the dents you keep getting."

"I wouldn't get dents if you watched your arse for more than three seconds," I retorted. "Seriously, you need to stop taking cover behind matchboxes and lego pieces, Shepard. If 95% of your body is sticking out, the bad guys are going to shoot it, and I'm gonna take hits saving your ass. And James doesn't do it all, he just hasn't had time to teach me. It'd happen faster, you know, if you weren't always wanting to go kill stuff." I arched my brow, teasing challenge in my posture.

"The human makes a good point, Commander. You are right to lead the charge, but you put your life at risk needlessly."

The sarcastic prothean quelled under the stares thrown by both me and Shepard. I grinned at my commander and she returned it, her scars glowing again. _Never get why they do that. It's like a magic switch . . . or a warning. 'When Shepard glows, back the fuck away.' _

"Okay, we're ready," Shepard said, looking me over. I suddenly felt like a child on their first day of school. "Joker, how long?"

"We've just dropped out of FTL, you're good to go," came the reply.

I checked my weapons one last time, before turning to James, conscious of the others watching. He didn't have the same reservations, stepping in close to flick a lock of hair off my face.

"_Volver a los brazos,_" he whispered, brushing my lips with his own.

My translator took all of the beauty from his words-the simple request for me to return to his arms-but I smiled anyway. "Always, Action Man."

"Primit-."

I growled. "Iceman . . .."

"Amiee." James held on to my hand, his face serious, belying the smile in his eyes.

Everyone knew I wouldn't actually hurt the prothean, but the snarking between us made events even more explosive than normal.

"I like her, Shepard. She's got quad."

I turned my playful glare on Wrex, already liking the huge krogan. "What the hell is a quad?" Javik opened his mouth, but I cut him off. "Javik, I swear to God, if you tell me it's a damn delicacy to your people like you did the salarian liver, I'm gonna kick your shin."

Wrex and James laughed as Javik let out a weary sigh. He couldn't quite hide the smirk on his strange lips though. "Come, human, you waste time."

I rolled my eyes at his robot response, kissing James's cheek and moving towards the shuttle. Instead of my boyfriend's hands on my waist lifting me as I expected, I found myself tossed bodily into the shuttle by the scruff of my neck.

"Thanks, Wrex," I sighed, picking myself up and dusting myself off dramatically.

He winked. "No problem, Pyjack."

_God, I hope Javik doesn't pick up that one. I've had it up to here with 'Human' as it is. _

Shepard and Javik joined us, the commander taking the co-pilots seat next to Cortez.

"Joker, drop the shuttle."

Wrex growled. "Let's go save those females."


	23. Hell's Drop

"This is the salarian homeworld we're headed to. They aren't used to seeing krogan here, so let's keep it simple."

I looked up at Shepard as she joined us in the back. "When are any of our missions simple?"

"Tell me about it, but this shouldn't be too big of a problem. We land, get the females, and leave, before anyone changes their minds."

Wrex pumped his shotgun, his face screwing up into a glare. "I still don't trust their word."

I couldn't help but sigh. _What is it with these men? We never have this much trouble when it's just me, Liara and Shepard. _I shook my head, deciding not to say anything.

"Let diplomacy play out, 'll get what you want," she told the old krogan, her arms crossing in that no nonsense way she loved so much.

"These females are the best, and probably the last hope for my people," he responded, his voice tight with anger, pain and desperation.

I put my hand on his arm. "You honestly think Shepard will let you down?" I asked him.

He looked at me, patting my head in a strangely grandfatherish way. "No, I don't doubt her, but I do doubt the dalatrass. She's a sneaky one," he responded, a low growl adding a frightening vibration to his words.

"Commander, I have the salarian base on sensors," Cortez reported from the front.

"Set her down," Shepard said, pulling her helmet on. "Javik, Amiee, keep close. I don't trust the salarians any more than Wrex does at this point."

The shuttle rocked a little, its thrusters firing as we swooped down. "Commander, salarian ground control says we don't have clearance to land."

Shepard sighed. "Tell them the dalatrass authorized this herself," she ordered, impatience making her tone almost a bark.

"See, it's never simple," I groaned to myself, earning a chuckle from Javik. "What?"

Wrex stood up, his shotgun in his hands. "I knew they'd never keep their word." He stepped towards the shuttle door. "Let's see them try and stop a krogan airdrop." His fist hammered down on the door release, sending a blast of air into the shuttle.

"Wrex!" Shepard shouted, turning in time to see him leap.

He roared, vanishing from our sight. The sound of shouting, followed by the thwomp of biotics reached us."I can't take him anywhere," Shepard said, facepalming. "Cortez, set us down . . . quickly."

_Why can't I get the image of Wrex running around naked with me and Shepard chasing him, trying to get him to put on some pants? 'Come on Grampa Wrex, the volus doesn't need to see you nakey'. _

_My mind . . . is scarred. _

The shuttle landed, jostling me into Javik, who of course, sneered and said something-no doubt sarcastic- that I didn't catch. Shepard leaped from the shuttle, and I followed,-without the drama lama of a badass roll like she did.

I looked up, seeing Wrex stood, his shotgun in his hands, a vicious snarl on his face. I moved to stand beside him as lasers landed on us, covering us in red dots.

_Annnd, cue the music. _

* * *

"When are you gonna learn that being biotic doesn't mean you can stop rockets with your right boob?" I asked, slumping down in my seat, exhausted. I looked over at Shepard as she helped Mordin settle the female krogan. "Now Wrex, he could've totally stopped that rocket. Wait, does he even have boobs?"

The giant krogan shifted uncomfortably under the weight of my stare on his chest. "Nah, I don't have boobs, I leave that to the asari."

"Riiigghht," I said, layering my voice with thick, playful sarcasm. "Lotta armor for someone with no boobs, s'all I'm saying. And Shepard, don't think I'm not telling Garrus what you did."

"Hey, I would have had everything under control if you hadn't been doing the two step with that engineer," she retorted, a little pout on her lips. "You're really gonna threaten me with Garrus? Do I need to tell Vega that you decided to get _in the way _when Javik was trying to save your ass?"

"Now that's not fair. He may have mind reading mumbo jumbo, but I don't. How was I to know he was throwin' that green shit right at me." I glared at the Prothean in question, the burns on my cheek evidence to his biotic-slinging prowess . . . or lack of it, in my opinion.

Javik smirked. "Human, had I been aiming for you, you would not be sat where you are."

_Oh, you . . .. _

"That's beside the bloody point, you were throwing it around like it was going out of fashion . . .. Then again,

green biotics went out of fashion 50.000 year ago, you need to get with the color scheme, Iceman."

"Prothean biotics not like Human or Asari. Natural biotics, not caused by Eezo. Some other element involved," Mordin interjected, the rapid speech almost too much for me to understand.

"Yeah, yeah, thank you Mordin," I sighed, rolling my eyes. "I was making a po- you know what, never mind. We were talking about the fact that Shepard thinks her boobs are Wonder Woman shields." I closed my eyes for a second, rubbing the lids. Grit, smoke-dust and the lack of sleep made them feel like the sandman had just danced his way over my eyeballs. "And you'd better not tell James."

"Then you don't tell Garrus. He worries enough as it is," Shepard retorted, crossing her arms and leaning against the wall.

I sighed, shrugging my shoulders in defeat as Wrex laughed. "She got you by the quad there." He winked at me as I turned my glare on him. "You going to get Garrus a pipe and slippers too, Shepard? Turn him into a real old man?"

The guilty look on her face told us all we needed to know, and soon we were all almost rolling around on the shuttle floor laughing as she stammered. The image of Garrus, bundled into a dressing gown, little slippers on his taloned feet would stay with me forever. _He needs a fez too, cause fez's are cool. _

"Approaching the _Normandy, _Commander," Cortez called from the pilots seat, a huge shit-eating grin on his face. "Let the Garrus slipper hunt begin."

The laughter continued as we docked with the ship, bets being placed on who'd find them first and what would be done with them. I suggested supergluing the to the nose of the ship, but Joker-listening on the comms like a creeper-nixed that idea, coming up with some excuse about it being burned during FTL.

_Yeah, right, cause that's the reason. I think it's because he just doesn't want me to play with his toys. He's so mean. _

"Hey, Joker," I called as we all bundled into the elevator, my voice muffled by the arm of the rather large krogan almost squishing me. "Tell me something . . . do you have slippers?" I shifted to the side, trying to get some air that didn't smell like blood, krogan or Shepard; who smelt like gun smoke, explosives and god only knew what else.

Shepard snorted, over the sound of the pilots stuttering. "He does," she said, pretending to whisper.. "Ask him what they look like."

"You think I can't hear that, Shepard?" Joker asked, his voice weary. "Fine. They have . . . Blasto on them, happy now?"

I laughed as Shepard winked at me. "He has the matching dressing gown too."

"Damn it, Shepard! You're destroying my reputation here!"

Wrex rumbled a deep laugh that shook my whole body. "What reputation?"

His answer was cut off by the ding of the elevator. We came face to face with Garrus and James, both with their arms crossed over their chests, matching expressions on their faces. You know the one, the 'you're in so much trouble. Who do you think you are getting shot at?' look.

An awkward silence descended. Javik exited, almost running away, clearly picking up on the atmosphere. Mordin, pushing the female, followed behind. Wrex took one look between us, patting us both on the shoulder sympathetically, before waddling his way from the elevator.

_Oh crap. Guess we don't need to tell them now._

"James . . .."

"Garrus . . .."

I looked at Shepard as she looked at me. We both snorted, shaking our heads. I gestured for Shepard to speak first, but she shook her head again. _Pass the guilty parcel on to me why don't you. Commanding officer my ass. Okay, I've got this . . . I think. _

Sighing, I looked up at the two men. "This . . . is not what it looks like," I said, pointing to the damage in our armor. "I mean, it is, but . . . it was totally not our fault."

James raised a brow. "Oh really? Cause, to me, and Garrus too . . . it looks like you two went playing with rockets," he said, a slight growl in his voice. Garrus offered his own annoyed rumble.

"We didn't . . . play with rockets, we dodged them . . . mostly," Shepard interjected, crossing her arms, her wince only just hidden. "It's not like you can even talk, Garrus. You took a rocket to the face, I only took it to the boob."

"Shepard, I'm a turian, we're not as . . . breakable as humans," Garrus pointed out. He winced as his chest was slapped by Shepard.

_Oh no . . . he's dead Jim. _

"Did you just call me . . . squishy? Cause not even Wrex dares say that now," she snapped, holding her hand and shaking it a little. "You need to take your armor off more often, so when I hit you, it doesn't hurt."

The turian rolled his eyes. "If I did that, you'd hit me more, see the problem?" he asked. "Anyway, we're not talking about us, we're talking about you two."

"It wasn't our fault. Cerberus started it," Shepard said, her voice sounding almost childish, rather than the usual harsh, commanding tone she used. "I can't be held responsible for their stupidity."

I snerked, catching the amused quirk of James's lip before he could stop himself. "Beside the point, you need to be more careful. You don't see me looking like I've been through hell and back."

_Oh, so not going there, Action Man. You ain't making it out like you're all saintly and holier than thou. _

"You're being a hypocrite. One word, James. Sanctum." I planted my hands on my hips, daring him to argue as Shepard and Garrus had a whispered argument beside us.

He took my cue, backing down, his hands up in defeat. "Okay, okay, you win. Dios, you're hard work sometimes."

_Yeah, like he can talk. I thought that Phantom had him. Stupid boy, playing with swords. _

I sighed, walking up to him and hugging him, needing to touch him. "I know, but you wouldn't have me any other way, right?" I rested my head on his chest, the exhaustion really starting to set in as Shepard and Garrus embraced beside us.

"Right," James whispered, kissing the top of my head. "But it doesn't mean I'm not going to worry about you, Muñeca."

"I know, and I'll still worry about you when you go 'Action Man,' all over the place," I whispered, looking over at Garrus, who had that 'I've just lost a row but can't help but be happy about it' look on his face. "Hey, Scars? Can I see your slippers?" I asked him.

His mandibles fluttered as Shepard giggled and hid her face guiltily. "I don't have slippers," he denied, stroking Shepard's hair in a tender motion. "Why would you want to see them anyway? You know, if I did have some . . .."

Shepard looked over at me, a secretive smile on her face. "They have tiny space hamsters on." She giggled as Garrus groaned, burying his face in her hair, one blue eye peering at me, the promise of retribution plain for all to see. .

I didn't care, I knew he'd make me pay, but the temptation . . .. I just couldn't resist. I bounced a little in James's arms, a grin spreading across my lips. "Oh, now that I've got to see!" I cackled, winking at him. "For science."


End file.
